Copper Statue of Guru Set Marpa Lotsawa, Gampopa, Milarepa, Gold and Silver Plated, Painted Face, Double Color Oxidation

Iconography
Milarepa is mostly seen sitted

Life Story
Born in the village of Kya Ngatsa - also known as Tsa - in Gungthang province of western Tibet to a prosperous family he was named Mila Thöpaga (Thos-pa-dga'), which means "A joy to hear." His family name, Josay indicates noble descent, a sept of the Khyungpo or eagle clan. When his father died, Milarepa's uncle and aunt took all of the family's wealth. At his mother's request, Milarepa left home and studied sorcery. While his aunt and uncle were having a party to celebrate the impending marriage of their son, he took his revenge by summoning a giant hail storm to demolish their house, killing 35 people, although the uncle and aunt are supposed to have survived. The villagers were angry and set off to look for Milarepa, but his mother got word to him and he sent a hailstorm to destroy their crops.

Many of Milarepa's deeds took place in Chokyi Dronma's homeland and his life and songs were compiled by Tsangnyon Heruka, sponsored by Chokyi Dronma's brother, the Gungthang king Thri Namgyal De.

Milarepa later lamented his evil ways in his older years: "In my youth I committed black deeds. In maturity I practiced innocence. Now, released from both good and evil, I have destroyed the root of karmic action and shall have no reason for action in the future. To say more than this would only cause weeping and laughter. What good would it do to tell you? I am an old man. Leave me in peace."

Mantra of Milarespa

Biography
Gampopa was born in the Nyal (or Nyel) district, Central Tibet and from an early age was a student of medicine in the Indian, Chinese and Tibetan medical traditions. Later in his life he moved to the region of Dakpo (dwags po) in southern Tibet and hence was also called Dakpopa (dwags po pa), the man from Dakpo. The region is also near Gampo Hills, hence his other name, Gampopa. In his youth Gampopa studied under the Nyingma lama Barey as well as under the Kadampa teacher Geshe Yontan Drag. He married a daughter of a man named Chim Jose Darma Wo (mchims jo sras dar ma 'od) and had a child, but they both died, causing him to renounce the householder's life. In 1104, at the age of twenty-five he took ordination, either in Dakpo or in Penyul, at Gyachak Ri monastery ('phan yul rgya lcags ri), receiving the name Sönam Rinchen (bsod nams rin chen)." After becoming a monk in the Kadampa lineage under Geshe Loden Sherab and focused on studying the Kadampa teachings. In his 30s he sought out and became the foremost student of the yogi Milarepa. Milarepa instructed him in the practice of Vajravārahī, tummo (gtum mo) and Mahāmudrā.

Gampopa's position in the transmission lineage of the Mahamudra teaching is as follows:

Tilopa (988-1069), the Indian yogi who experienced the original transmission of the Mahamudra
Naropa (1016-1100), who perfected the methods of accelerated enlightenment described in his Six Yogas of Naropa.
Marpa (1012-1097), the first Tibetan in the lineage, who translated the Vajrayana and Mahamudra texts into Old Tibetan
Milarepa (1052-1135), poet and master who overcame Marpa's reluctance to teach but nonetheless attained enlightenment in a single lifetime
Gampopa, Milarepa's most important student, who integrated Atiśa's Kadam teachings and Tilopa's Mahamudra teaching to establish the Kagyü lineage
This lineage sequence, taken together, is called the "Five Founding Masters" by the Kagyu school.

After his studies with Milarepa, Gampopa founded Dakhla Gampo Monastery (Dwags lha sgam po) in 1121 CE. He had many great students who were accomplished tantric practitioners, both monks and laymen. Gampopa's teaching joined the Lamrim teachings of the Kadampa school with the Mahamudra and tantric teachings of the Kagyu school. According to Tony Duff, he taught Mahamudra in two approaches, "one is a gradual approach called the Four Yogas of Mahamudra, the other is a sudden approach called Essence Mahamudra.

Teachings
Gampopa most famous teaching is known as "The Four Dharmas of Gampopa", this is outlined in a key text of Gampopa called The Four Dharmas in Brief:

"It is necessary for: dharma to turn to dharma; dharma to turn into the path; the path to dispel confusion; and confusion to turn into wisdom"

The Four Dharmas in Brief further states about each of the four Dharmas:

(1) Dharma to turn to dharma means to meditate on impermanence, the fact that all things will be left behind at death and that only Dharma is of use, all must be renounced except Dharma.

(2) Dharma turns into the path is explained as:

if there is the rational mind of loving kindness and compassion that cherishes other more than oneself-the fictional enlightenment mind-and then on top of that the understanding that all phenomena, outer and inner, appearing as the coming together of interdependency are illusory, then the primal dharma turns into the path.

(3) The Path is to be used to dispel confusion means that "confusion has to be dispelled from top to bottom", Gampopa explains this as follows:

First, meditation on impermanence dispels the confusion of clinging to this life, then meditation on karma and effect dispels the confusion of bad views, then meditation on the disadvantages of cyclic existence dispels the confusion of attachment to cyclic existence, then meditation on loving kindness and compassion dispels the confusion of the Lesser Vehicle, then meditation on appearances being dream-like, illusory, dispels the confusion of grasping at conceived-of things...

(4) Confusion turns into wisdom:

If, the force of meditation done on all phenomena being free from birth and cessation in suprefact (paramartha satya) causes whatever appears, whatever is known, to be resolved as its own entity, then confusion has dawned as wisdom.

Protecting the Face
In the process of painting the face, a special variation of gold is utilized. This variation is transformed into a powder form that can be applied as paint. The gold used is believed to be 100% pure, enhancing the reverence and spiritual significance associated with this practice.


As the face is painted it is highly recommended that the face of the statue is to be greatly taken care of as it requires a very professional and skilled face artist to repair the face of dirt and damages. Commonly to protect it from damage, the statue with painted face is placed under a glass box and it is always covered with a cotton face mask if it has to be moved



Video of Face Painting

The contrast between the silver plating and dark oxidation creates a visually striking effect, enhancing the intricate details and contours of the Marpa Lotsawa. This combination of techniques not only adds visual interest but also provides a sense of antiquity and time-worn charm to the statue.

The partly silver plating and dark oxidation finishing is a testament to the craftsmanship and artistic vision of the creators. It showcases their ability to harmonize different elements, resulting in a distinctive and captivating aesthetic for the Marpa Lotsawa.

The method of metal casting in which a molten metal is poured into a mold that has been created by means of a wax model. Once the mold is made, the wax model is melted and drained away. Bronze statues come to life differently than marble statues. Instead of carving a block or marble, the bronze artist uses the lost-wax technique to make a series of molds, and then pours melted bronze into the final mold to create the sculpture. This method has been around since 4500 BCE.

There are few important steps in lost wax casting process :
Step 1: Sculpting ( It all starts in the studio with an idea, Then figuring out how to realize the vision in clay.)
Step 2: Mold Making.
Step 3: Wax Pouring.
Step 5: Wax Spruing.
Step 6: Shell Dipping.
Step 7: Bronze Pouring.

Interestingly enough Loss wax process is also called Investment casting because after layers have been formed and dried, the wax is melted out of the ceramic tree by using steam (120°C) in an autoclave. This is why it is called "lost wax casting". The majority of the molten wax which can then be regenerated and is reusable.