Mahamaya Mandala

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This grand thangka depicts the mandala of Mahamaya or Mayadevi, mother of Shakyamuni Buddha. This is perhaps a rare and finest mandala painting of Mahamaya. The painting is slightly a crowded. The center of the mandala depicts Mahamaya who is holding a branch of shala tree and newborn baby Siddhartha has been shown as if just he has completed seven steps. According to the relevant legend or tradition, Shakyamuni was the son of queen Mahamaya and king Suddhodana from the Gautama family, who ruled the Shakya kingdom in northern India. Tradition says that the child had entered his mother's womb on rays coming from the tusks of a young white elephant in a cloud that appeared in a vision to the queen. When the future mother felt her time was approaching she left for her parent's home. When she reaching the park of Lumbini, her son was born, as she held the branch of shala tree. The newborn child walked seven steps towards each point of the compass, exclaiming: "this is my last incarnation". The baby was named Siddhartha. Queen Mahamaya died seven days after giving birth. His aunt foster mother Prajapati Gautami brought him up.

The area outside the inner circle of this handsome mandala is decorated with stylized designs. The walls of the square are also beautifully decorated. The building has four gateways protected by Peaceful and wrathful deities. Over the each corner of the square, the auspicious symbol, Endless Knot has been depicted. An inner lotus petals circle surrounds the square, followed by a circle of syllable mantra, then there is a circle of charity, auspicious symbols, Adepts and devas etc. Thereafter is a circle of stylized designs surround by another outer circle of fire fence.

In the row across the top, Heruka Father-Mother is in the center, while both the upper corners are filled with the figures of Lokeshvara, who are seated before the shrine along with their attendants. Remaining area of background is filled with extremely ferocious deities, and dragons. The middle ground depicts high peaks covered with snow, a stupa, flowers, lakes and offerings etc., while the foreground is filled with figures siddhas, wrathful and yab yum figures, lakes, offerings and natural vegetation etc. The painting is brilliantly drawn and painted.

Select Bibliography

A. Getty, The Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1962

Ben Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangka, Holland, 2001

H. Kern, Manual of Indian Buddhism, Delhi,1968

J.C. Huntington and D. Bangdel, The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art, Ohio, 2004

Marylin M. Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet New York, 1997

Marylin M. Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion, New York, 1999

P. Pal, Art of the Himalayas: Treasures from Nepal and Tibet, New York,1991

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".

Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade

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