Buddhist Hand Painting Thangka of Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, White Tara, Namgyalma, Green Tara, Yellow Jambhala, Standing Manjushree Hand Painted, Lamas Art

Iconography
Green Tara's special lotus is the blue lotus or 'night lotus' which she bears in both hands. The word utpala means to 'burst open'. Her left-hand holds a stem with an open blooming flower and an unopened bud. The bent lower part of the stem represents the root. The open blossom represents the present and also the present Buddha; the bud represents the future and also Buddhas yet to be born. The future here also refers to a safe journey's end and future well-being. Her right-hand wisdom hand is in the gesture of giving refuge. The third finger touches the thumb to create a circle representing the union of wisdom and compassion, and the three extended fingers symbolize the Three Jewels of Buddhism a. The Buddha State b. The Body of Teachings. The Principles of the Universe The same hand holds the stem of a blue lotus representing her willingness to assist. The closed blossom in her right hand represents the past and also the Buddhas of the past. Green Tara is shown in a place of paradise called Khadiravani where she Tara dwells. Khadiravani is described as a great mountain kingdom with many trees, flowers, and animals (not shown). 3 rainbow tails emanate from her outer aureole. The crescent moon and sun symbolize the union of male and female ubiquitous in Tantric art.
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The seventy-two golden lines represent psychic energy channels emanating from her body and her central psychic channel running up her spinal column. Each one signifies a thousand as there are traditionally seventy-two thousand channels. The gold lines alternate between wiggly and straight to represent the two main psychic channels running up the central channel that entwine to create the interlocking 'snaking' caduceus to which the energy channels are connected. The trees in the foreground are the Ashoka Tree. The word Ashoka means 'without sorrow' and is the tree linked to the Vedic God of love and sexual union Kamadeva. Apparently, the tree blossoms when a virtuous lady touches it.

Commentary
The word Tara means the one who saves. The word Tara is derived from the root tri meaning to cross and in context is taken to mean the one who helps people to cross the Ocean of Existence and Suffering. Green Tara is also called 'dark' Tara or more directly Shyama Tara. Green Tara is associated with the Amoghasiddhi who is also green and the north-facing Meditation who is head of the action family. Her willingness to help others is shown by her body posture with one foot ready so that she can rise to offer assistance. Like WhiteTara, she was born of the tears of compassion of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, resulting from the extreme state of sadness he experienced when observing the continuing ceaseless suffering which he sought to end.

Mantra for Green Tara

Iconography
Sita Tara, popularly known as White Tara. She has emanated from Avalokiteshvara & in the Nepali Transcendent Buddha tradition is the consort of Vairochana, the central Transcendent Buddha. Her inner virtue of loving compassion is magnified by the simplicity of her presentation. White Tara is an important Vajrayana Buddhist figure since she embodies the principle of loving kindness, which is the central quality in the altruistic Bodhisattva presented through Mahayana Buddhism. Her main emblem is the Pink Lotus [Skt. Kamala] representing this main quality.



Her left hand is gracefully lowered in an empty open palm boon granting gesture [Skt. Varada Mudra]. White Tara has a blooming pink lotus & an unopened bud on either side of her body. The lotus in the painting is stylised as a peony & a chrysanthemum to provide artistic contrast with her lotus throne. The open blossom represents the present and the bud represents the future situations & Buddhas yet to be born. The future also refers to beneficial changes circumstances that she will help bring about. Her right hand wisdom hand is in the gesture of giving refuge [Skt. Sharanagamana]. The word refuge refers to the teaching of compassionate understanding which she imparts. The third finger touches the thumb to create a circle representing the union of wisdom and compassion, and the three extended fingers symbolise the Three Jewels of Buddhism A. The Buddha State B. The Body of teachings [Skt. Sangha] C. The Principles of the Universal form [Skt. Dharma]. The same hand holds the stem of a blue lotus [Skt. Utpala] representing change. The lower part of the stem below the bend represents the root of the lotus in the mud. The allegory of the Lotus refers to the something that grows from the obscurity of the mud & which eventually bursts open in the light. The lotus journey is one of inner awakening & enlightenment analogous to the human spirit. Buddhism shows us how to grow towards the light with profound teachings which help us to navigate away from burdens and sufferings which we may have by being materially minded, bitter & confused.



There is a lotus on her diadem bearing the Wish Granting Gem [Skt. Chintamani] surrounded by an aureole of fire symbolising auspicious blessings. The extra eye on her forehead, on the palms of her hands & soles of her feet represent her ability to see and understand the sufferings of all beings & her omniscient compassion toward the suffering. Avalokiteshvara [Tib. Chengresi] her progenitor also has a white body & extra eyes. The eyes denote psychic & supernatural power. The rainbow coloured leggings represent a mastery of Boddhi Nature [Skt. Siddhi] & a manifestation of the Sambhogakaya. The dark blue layer of clothing signifies Mantrayana practice. She is upon a white moon disk & has an orange sun aureole to representing her emanation their melting point [Skt. Nada]. There is a branch of an Ashoka Tree in the foreground. The word Ashoka means 'without sorrow' in other words she has no regrets about her behaviour. The tree linked to the Vedic God of love & sexual union Kamadeva which blossoms when a virtuous lady touches it. The triangular diamond rock formation in the foreground represents the Source of Reality [Skt. Dharmadaya] out of which deities arise & which is generated from emptiness by the seed syllable E. In the Indian language is a Triangular shaped letter D & so expressed in the triangular rock formations.

Commentary
Tara's are difficult to place being neither Deity nor Dakini. Tara's are commonly described as female emanations and aides of Buddhas. Deities tend to have consorts with whom they are having sexual intercourse. She has a special association with the Pink lotus which represents the arising of wisdom from the obscure depths of the mud and the flowering of the awoken wisdom. The mud symbolised the primeval state. As with the other emanations of Tara, she has come into being from the teardrop of Avalokateshwara the great Bodhisattva of compassion.

Mantra of White Tara

Iconography
The Yellow Jambhala is considered the most popular and powerful of the Wealth Gods. He is the emanation of Buddha Ratnasambhava. He can remove poverty within the six realms, increasing virtues, life span, and wisdom.

He is also said to be an emanation of Vaisravana, one of the "Four Great World-protecting Heavenly Kings". He is the guardian of light in Buddhism, a great charitable deity who grants fortune and protection. Lord Vaisravana lives in the northern region under the Four Heavens, at the northern crystal palace on the fourth level of Mount Sumeru. His servants are either yaksas or bhaisajya-yaksas. According to the commentary on Lotus Sutra, this heavenly king is extremely knowledgeable as his perpetual protection of the Buddhas has enabled him to receive many teachings.

Yellow Jambhala has a yellow-colored body, he sits in the vajra position with his right leg in the panhandle, his right foot is above a snail and lotus flower, and his left leg is kinked. He has one face and two arms. His left hand holds a mongoose named Nehulay which spews forth precious jewels from its mouth, while his right-hand holds gems-shaped fruit and leaf of a lotus. An ordinary image of Lord Vaisravana holds a precious pagoda in the left, which pours out various treasures. In Tibetan Tantric images, the precious pagoda is replaced by the treasure-emitting mongoose. Yellow Jambhala sits on a lotus, sun disk, and moon disk. His mantra is:

Om Jambhala Jalendraye Svaha

About Yellow Jambjala
Jambala (Dzambhala) is the God of Wealth and appropriately a member of the Jewel family. In Hinduism, Mythology Jambala is known as Kuber. Jambhala is also believed to be an emanation of Avalokiteshwor Chenrezig, or the Buddha of Compassion, manifesting as the wealth-giving Buddha. There are 5 different wealth Jambhala. Each Jambhala has its mantra and practice to help eliminate poverty and create financial stability.

Mandra of Yellow Jambala

Full Description
There is a story from the time Guru Shakyamuni Buddha was on earth concerning a deva called Paripu Denpa. Due to karma, when devas start experiencing the signs of death, they spontaneously remember their previous lives and see their future lives; they perceive that they are about to be reborn in the lower realms and so forth. Since their realm has unbelievable enjoyments thousands of times better than those of the richest country on earth, when they realize that they are about to leave a life of such pleasure and be reborn where there is incredible suffering, their minds suffer greatly.

Thus, as he was dying, the deva Denpa saw that he was about to be reborn as six types of animal'dog, monkey and so forth. Very worried, he asked King Indra what to do. King Indra suggested that he see the Buddha, which he did. Buddha manifested as the deity Namgyalma and gave him the mantra. Denpa recited it six times daily and in seven days completely changed his karma so that he did not have to be reborn as those six types of animal. The Namgyalma mantra is unbelievably powerful for purification. I have translated its benefits and explained how to recite it for people who have cancer and other diseases.

The kind, compassionate Guru Shakyamuni Buddha taught the benefits of reciting the Namgyalma mantra to the Four Guardian Kings. Even if you are in danger of dying because the karma that determines your life-span is running out, if you wash your body, wear clean clothes and, abiding in the eight precepts, recite the Namgyalma mantra one thousand times, you can increase your life-span, purify your obscurations and free yourself from disease.

If you recite the Namgyalma mantra into the ear of an animal, you ensure that this is its last animal rebirth. If somebody suffering from a heavy disease that doctors cannot diagnose does the practice Lord Buddha taught to the deva Denpa, he or she will be liberated from that disease, bring to an end all future rebirths in the lower realms, and after death be reborn in a blissful pure land. For humans, the present life will be their last rebirth from the womb.

If you recite this mantra twenty-one times, blow upon mustard seeds and throw them onto the bones of even extremely evil beings who have created many heavy negative karmas, those beings will immediately be liberated from the lower realms and be reborn in a higher realm, such as that of a deva. Throwing seeds blessed by the Namgyalma mantra onto the bones or body of a dead being purifies that being's consciousness, and even though that being may have been reborn in hell or any other lower realm, that being can be reborn in a deva realm.

If you put this mantra in a stupa or on a banner inside your house or above the roof, whoever is touched by even the shadow of that stupa or banner will not be reborn in the lower realms. Also, any being touched by a breeze that has first touched a stupa, banner or statue containing this mantra is purified of the karma to be reborn in the lower realms. What need is there to mention, therefore, how great the purification experienced by those who recite this mantra or keep it on their body.

Namgyalma Matra Full
OM NAMO BHAGAVATE SARVA TRAILOKYA PRATIVISHISHTAYA BUDDHAYA TE NAMA TA YA THA OM BHRUM BHRUM BHRUM SHODHAYA SHODHAYA VISHODHAYA VISHODHAYA ASAMA SAMANTA AVABHA SPHARANA GATI GAGANA SVABHAVA VISHUDDHE ABHISHINTSANTU MAM SARVA TATHAGATA SUGATA VARA VACANA AMRITA ABHISHEKERA MAHAMUDRA MANTRA PADAIH AHARA AHARA MAMA AYUS SANDHARANI SHODHAYA SHODHAYA VISHODHAYA VISHODHAYA GAGANA SVABHAVA VISHUDDHE USNISHA VIJAYA PARISHUDDHE SAHASRA RASMI SANYTSODITE SARVA TATHAGATA AVALOKINI SAT PARAMITA PARIPURANI SARVA TATHAGATA MATE DASHA BHUMI PRATISHTHITE SARVA TATHAGATA HRIDAYA ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE MUDRE MUDRE MAHA MUDRE VAJRA KAYA SAMHATANA PARISHUDDHE SARVA KARMA AVARANA VISHUDDHE PRATINI VARTAYA MAMA AYUR VISHUDDHE SARVA TATHAGATA SAMAYA ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MUNI VIMUNI VIMUNI MAHA VIMUNI MATI MATI MAHA MATI MAMATI SUMATI TATHATA BHUTAKOTI PARISHUDDHE VISPHUTA BUDDHI SHUDDHE HE HE JAYA JAYA VIJAYA VIJAYA SMARA SMARA SPHARA SPHARA SPHARAYA SPHARAYA SARVA BUDDHA ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE SHUDDHE SHUDDHE BUDDHE BUDDHE VAJRE VAJRE MAHA VAJRE SUVAJRE VAJRA GARBHE JAYA GARBHE VIJAYA GARBHE VAJRA DZOLA GARBHE VAJRODBHAVE VAJRA SAMBHAVE VAJRE VAJRINI VAJRAM BHAVATU MAMA SHARIRAM SARVA SATTVANANYTSA KAYA PARISHUDDHIR BHAVATU ME SADA SARVA GATI PARISHUDDHISHTSA SARVA TATHAGATASHTSA MAM SAMASVASAYANTU BUDDHYA BUDDHYA SIDDHYA SIDDHYA BODHAYA BODHAYA VIBODHAYA VIBODHAYA MOTSAYA MOTSAYA VIMOTSAYA VIMOTSAYA SHODHAYA SHODHAYA VISHODHAYA VISHODHAYA SAMANTENA MOTSAYA MOTSAYA SAMANTA RASMI PARISHUDDHE SARVA TATHAGATA HRIDAYA ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE MUDRE MUDRE MAHA MUDRE MAHAMUDRA MANTRA PADAIH SOHA

Mantra of Ushnisha Vijaya

Iconography
The idea of freeing the self (ourselves) from material world & the realisation of the supreme self is a theme common to Indian Philosophy. This is why word associated with the liberation such as Moksha, Samsara ( cycles of suffering), Karma & Nirvana are common to Hinduism , Jainism & Sikhism. The difference between these three schools of thought is twofold, 1. How this freeing of the self is attained & 2. What the nature of this freedom 'is'. That is what state of being freed or partly freed actually feels like or how it can be described.

Gautama is painted with golden skin sitting in a lotus seat [Skt. Padmasana] also called the meditative seat [Skt. Dhyanasana] & upon a white moon disc which represents the male principle of method which itself is upon a lotus throne. His left hand touches the ground in what is called bhumisparse mudra which symbolises his own recognition of enlightened mind in one of the most iconic images in all Buddhism. The palm always faces inwards. His feet are deliberately drawn level with one another & enlarged, being specific marks of a Buddha. His right hand supports an alms bowl [Skt. Patra], containing the liquid elixir of eternal life. Somehow the simple image of the bowl reflects his overwhelming humility & kindness. He wears the traditionally maroon gold monk's patched robe [Skt. Samghati] made of twenty five pieces of cloth which the first Buddhist monks sewed together. The Buddha has a green nimbus and blue aureole around his body signifying the highest level of understanding. Siddhartha is surrounded by Pink Lotuses [Skt. Padma]. This kind of lotus is connected with loving kindness & a flowering of pure consciousness. The closed bud to his right side represents the past or originating mind, the blooming flower represents the present & the buds represents the future Buddha Maitreya and forthcoming realisations. His elongated earlobes depict his royal connection; his knotted black hair & topknot symbolise his abandonment of worldly possessions; the dot [Skt. Urna] on his brow on the command chakra [Skt. Ajna] represents his transcendent wisdom, the 31st mark of a Buddha.



Life Story
Gautama was born c.563 BCE Lumbini, today in Nepal Died c.483 BCE Kushinagar in India. within the Sakya kingdom in Nepal. He family names were variously called Gautama [Skt. 'Best Cow'] & surname Shakyamuni [Skt. meaning 'Sage of the Shakyas'] The name Gautama is linked with a person called Maharshi [Eng. victorious on earth] Gautama who was an ancient seer. Maharshi Gouthama descendents adopted his surname. During his life he was as often called Gautama Tathagata, as Gautama Siddhi-hatha as Gautama Buddha. It was in recognition of his spiritual accomplishments he was called Siddhartha & relates to why Gautama is a Hindu avatar. The lineage of 23 Buddhas were for the majority drawn from Janapada Kings & high ranking Brahmins.
He studied Buddhist Ideas in several locations in Kashmir & Northern India which to may seem a contradiction in terms, this is because to many Gautama Buddha is what Buddhism is. There are in fact two basic schools of thought. 1. That Gautama is recognised for his enlightened reasoning who according to Theravada Buddhism was the 28th Buddha. 2. That he is the Supreme Buddha [Skt. Sammasambuddha] of our age & that he is the be all & end all of Buddhist Doctrine, & closely follow his progress or 'life story' & to how he in how became full awoken. In Hinduism he is considered to be the ninth avatar of God Vishnu.

At the age of 29 Siddhartha left his palace in order to meet his people. Despite his father's effort to remove the sick, aged & impoverished, Siddhartha encountered an old man. Disturbed by this, when told that all people would eventually grow old by his charioteer Channa, variously, a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. Deeply depressed by these sights, he sought to overcome old age, illness, and death by living the life of an ascetic. He left his palace leaving behind this royal life to become a mendicant. Siddhartha left Rajagaha and practised under two hermit teachers. After mastering the teachings of Alara Kalama Siddhartha was asked by Kalama to succeed him, but moved on.
He then became a student of Uddaka Ramaputta, but although he achieved high levels of meditative consciousness and was asked to succeed Ramaputta, he was still not satisfied with his path, and moved on. He initially became as ascetic but then After asceticism and concentrating on meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of breathing in and out), Siddhartha is said to have discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way- a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.
Gautama thus journeyed to Deer Park near Varanasi (Benares) in northern India, he set in motion the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the group of five companions with whom he had previously sought enlightenment. They, together with the Buddha, formed the first sangha, the company of Buddhist monks. For the remaining 45 years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled in the Gangetic Plain, in what is now Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & southern Nepal, teaching to an extremely diverse range of people, from nobles to outcaste street sweepers, mass murderers such as Angulimala & cannibals such as Alavaka. The sangha travelled from place to place in India, expounding the dharma.

2nd Commentary Gautama's entire Teachings revolve around: The Principle of the Three marks of existence; 1. Dukkha (Sanskrit: du?kha): That all beings suffer from all situations due to unclear mind. 2. Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things are impermanent. 3. Anatta (Sanskrit: anatman): That the perception of a constant "self" is an illusion. Gautama considers the arising of this suffering, & explains that this is caused by a misunderstanding of phenomena (the world around us) which is impermanent [Anicca] which he then related to the illusion of the ego, which is actually nothing but an illusion. [Anatta]. He shows that by understanding the nature of the suffering, & specifically its arising, we can alleviate this or extinguish it altogether.

Mantra of Shakyamuni buddha

Iconography
Amitabha Buddha is also one of the five Tathagatas representing the wisdom of discriminating awareness (skt. Pratyavekshanajnana). When discriminating wisdom dawns on us we realize Non-production or non-origination of all things. He also represents purified form of desire.

Amitabha Buddha is red in color. He is represented in the stupa facing to the west. He rides on peacock symbolizing that he can take away the suffering of others just as the peacock eats poisonous plants and yet his tail shines forth.


Amitabha in Sanskrit means immeasurable light or limitless light. He resides in the western land of unlimited bliss (skt. Sukhavati). He is assisted by two Bodhisattvas viz. Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta. When he was a bodhisattva he was called Bhikshu Dharmakara. He made vows to establish an adorned land of unlimited bliss to ferry over those living beings who recite his name. On the basis of those vows, any living being who has faith, makes vows and practices diligently will be received by this Buddha and reborn in the pure land of unlimited bliss.

Amitabha Buddha presides over the Bhadrakalpa i.e. Fortunate Aeon. He always exhibits Dhyana mudra. He belongs to the Lotus family. He originates from the seed syllable Hrih. He can be recognized through the symbol of the lotus. With his extensive vows and great compassion this Buddha has ferried over innumerable sentient beings. The recitation of the name of Amitabha Buddha is a common practice in China and Japan. In Tibet too, devotees recite very often the prayer to be reborn in the land of Amitabha Buddha.urity

Commentary
The word 'Amitabha' is composed of 2 syllables. Amita-[Skt.] translates as infinite & -bha universal life or simply the universe. Related Sanskrit words include bha-va asin Bhavachakra & Bha-gavad as in Bhagavad Gita. Amitabha is often translated as Boundless Light which is taken to be the boundless Universe. Amitabha realised a Pure Land called Sukhavati which meanspossessinghappinessin Sanskrit. Sukhavati is situated in the uttermost west beyond the bounds of rational understanding. By the power of his vows he made it possible for all who call upon him to be reborn into this land, there to undergo instruction by him in the dharma and ultimately become bodhisattvas & Buddhas. Amitabha is one of the five Transcendent Buddhas emanated from the primeval 'Adi' Buddha Vajrdhara. Each of the transcendent Buddhas has arisen to help us overcome the five obstructions [Skt. Kleshas] to our spiritual growth and each is the Head of a Family. The Sanskrit word Klesha means poison in the sense of curruption. For this reason the transcendent Buddhas are called Wisdom Buddhas; they possess the wisdom to overcome viz. transcend the five obstructions are greed, hatred, delusion, jealousy & pride. Amitabha is formed to help us overcome greed [often expressed as desire]. Greed is conceived of as a thirst [Skt. Tanha] or appetite for the destructive things that harm us such as smoking, alcohol & selfishness. The transcendent Buddhas are sometimecalled the Meditation [Skt. Dhyana] Buddhas as people meditate on their wisdoms to overcome the five obstructions to spiritual growth to anable us to reach a higher level of understanding.

Mantra of Amitabha Buddha

Commentary
Manjushree is the Bodhisattva who holds the flaming sword [Skt. Khadga] of enlightenment, by his left hand in a warning( Tarjani) hand gesture ( Mudra) in his left hand representing his realization of wisdom to cut through ignorance & wrong view. His right hand depicted in teaching (Jnana Mudra) holds the stem of a Blue Lotus (Utpala) flower upon which rests the Book (Pustaka) of Perfection of Transcendental Wisdom. The blue lotus is a symbol of the victory of the spirit over the senses and signifies the wisdom of knowledge. This represents the lotus that he obtained from the middle of the lake in the Kathmandu Valley out of which grew a lotus bearing a Blue Flame which represents wisdom. Manjushree sits upon a moon disc upon a lotus with an elongated stem arising from a lake. He wears a gold diadem fitted with precious jewels. He wears a silk scarf fastened at the waist and over this, a softly glowing green scarf decorated with golden motifs. His head is silhouetted against a nimbus. The lotus he is sitting on has an elongated stem and arises from a lake representing his recovery of the blue flame of transcendent wisdom and the teaching he originated. The white sash is the attire of the Vajrayana school of Buddhism.

According to legend, Manjushree founded the Nepalese civilization. In ancient times, way before Buddha Shakyamuni the Kathmandu Valley was a vast lake. The Buddha Vipashyin came to Nepal to meditate on the hill above the lake. Wishing to give the rough mountain people an object of worship, Vipashyin threw a lotus seed into the lake. When this lotus bloomed, a blue flame of wisdom light shone from the center of its thousand petals. This light was called the Swayambhunath Dharmadhatu, the Self-Sprung Infinite Field of Light, and the flame of the enlightened mind of the primal Buddha, Vajradhara burned at its center. The light of Vajradhara also emanated in the colors of the rainbow and in each of the five colors appeared one of the Five Buddhas - Vairochana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi. Then Manjushri went to Nagarkot Peak on the edge of the lake, and after having pondered in Samadhi how best the lake may be drained, with his keen-edged sword of wisdom he cut three Gorges. After the lake had been drained and the Valley bottom made suitable for cultivation Manjushree founded the city of Patan which was originally called Manjupattan. He taught the people many things. Manjushree manifests himself in the form of Yamantaka, known also as Vajrabhairava in order to overcome the lord of Death, Yama.
The Book (Pustaka) represents Transcendent Wisdom which came to be embodied by the Dyani {Pancha} Buddha Families. The book symbolically contains Buddhist teaching that had been lost to mankind & which was revealed to Manjushree. The book is commonly mistaken for the Prajna Paramita which was written by many hands between 100 & 200 CE realizing the Boddhisattva Principle. The book of Manjushree alludes to Wisdom and the emanation of the Five Transcendent Buddha Families. These are Vairochana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha & Amoghasiddhi. Wisdom Energy is a power that can extinguish the Five Negative afflictions. Each family heads wisdom and energy to overcome these Five hindrances to enlightenment which are greed, hatred, delusion, jealousy & pride.

Mantra of Manjushree

These sacred paintings serve as objects of contemplation, inspiration, and instruction, guiding practitioners on their spiritual path. Thangkas provide a visual gateway to the world of Tibetan Buddhism, encapsulating its rich symbolism, iconography, and spiritual concepts. With their vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and skillful craftsmanship, thangkas offer a profound visual medium for deepening one's understanding and connection to the teachings of Buddhism.

Thangkas come in various sizes, ranging from small pieces resembling Western half-length portraits to grand-scale creations spanning several meters in each dimension. While the larger thangkas are intended for temporary display during religious festivals, the majority of these artworks are designed for personal meditation or as educational aids for monastic students. The compositions of thangkas are meticulously crafted, featuring intricate details and often incorporating numerous small figures. A central deity or focal point is typically surrounded by a symmetrical arrangement of other divine beings, symbols, or narrative elements that convey profound spiritual teachings.

How is Thangka made

First, the canvas on which the painting is to be executed is laid on a wooden frame to determine the required dimensions. This canvas is an extremely finely woven cotton material, referred to in the Holy Scriptures as "Çura Canvas".

Then the canvas is cut, hemmed and, with the use of sturdy strings, very tightly mounted in the wooden frame. Painting is carried out with the frame in an upright position, without any further rigid support or backing.

In this studio, our primary artist, who works virtually exclusively for us, applies the undercoat consisting of a mixture of chalk and glue to the canvas by hand. Other Thangka workshops have turned to mainly using industrially pre-primed canvas.

This photo shows how the canvas, after receiving its base coat followed by a second coating of bone glue, is polished and smoothed by hand with a stone to attain a perfectly smooth, featureless painting surface. Through this process the canvas becomes quite rigid, thereby providing perfect conditions to evoke very finest artistic detail and over-all superior painting quality.

Using a different Thangka, we see how, after mounting, the complete basic pattern of the respective theme is applied to the canvas.

The following picture shows the steps in creating a gold-based Thangka, such as our No PH 9, the "Holy Mount Kailash". To achieve more intensive colour, yet another prime coat, in ochre, is applied, followed by a coat of pure gold. The so-called Thangka painting gold is traditionally produced by members of the Newar people in Nepal. 24-karat gold is ground to finest powder and mixed with bone glue and water in proportions suitable for direct use in painting. Thus, the Thangka gold is not gold leaf at all! Silver can be processed and used in the same way: Mount Kailash and the surrounding peaks in our completed Thangka were not painted with white paint, rather with precious silver.

Here, the nearly completed piece has been removed from the wooden frame. Now only the very finest finishing touches remain to be added, such as compacting the gold and giving Mount Kailash its silver mantle.

K. Lama regarded his already half-finished thangka proudly

The Mount Kailash Thangka, including the black margin (which can also facilitate the fastening of a traditional brocade frame), is now complete. Only the background gold must be compacted in the places where it is later intended to exhibit a sheen.

Here we see an old ballpoint pen casing into which a specially cut agate has been fitted. The back of this semi-precious stone is slightly concave and can be used to compact gold over extensive areas of the Thangka, while the blunt point is used to lineally compact gold, thus creating a shiny effect.

In this way, through partial compaction of the gold or refraining from compaction, nearly three-dimensional effects can be achieved. The glorious sheen of gold artistically treated in this way richly rewards the beholder or meditator with a Thangka possessed of an extraordinarily aesthetic aura.

Thangka Making Video