Prajnaparamita or the Book That Became a Goddess

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Here she stands an epitome of grace and sophistication upon a moon disc supported on a lotus pedestal, among the swirling waves of the water body, from which can be seen rising a magnificently drawn dragon.

The goddess is eight-armed, a multiplicity intended to signify her cosmic nature. each of the hands hold a different symbol:

The upper right arm hold a rosary. In Buddhist practice, the constant chanting of mantras with the continued movement of the beads during the practice of meditation is symbolic of the eternal cycle of time.

The next hand holds a noose. This facilitates the process whereby the goddess lassoes and retrieves those of us who have strayed form the path of true knowledge and are erroneously heading towards ignorance.

The third right hand is raised to the level of the heart and the dignified goddess holds in this hand a fruit. The fruit is a symbol of the boon of prosperity which is the fruit of all rightful karma.

The last right hand makes the varada mudra of boon-granting.

Of the four left hands,the topmost holds a book. This is the characteristic and distinguishing symbol of this goddess. The boxlike shape of this manuscript, in which separate sheets are stacked between protective covers, is reminiscent of those once used in Nepal and Tibet.

The next holds a trident. It is a symbol of the three jewels of Buddhism, namely the Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha.

The third left hands holds a lotus. This signifies purity and auspiciousness.

Finally the lowermost left arm is endowed with a vase (Skt. kalasha). This is the vase of abundance, symbolizing spiritual wealth.

Prajnaparamita is the quintessential wisdom goddess of Tibetan Buddhism. She has been described as staggeringly beautiful to the point of being scorching. Her meditation is believed to lead to an experience of the archetypal beauty of the refined levels of one's own mind. Finally, with faithful practice, she can become far more than that. She can become the experience of transcendental wisdom itself - the transcendence of the world of subject and object.

Each of our thangkas comes framed in silk brocade and veil, ready to be hung in your altar.

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Of Related Interest:

Prajnaparamita (Copper Sculpture gilded with 24 Karat Gold)

The Prajnaparamita Literature (Book)

Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.