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Thanka is excellent piece of Tibetan art works.

Thanka is a Tibetan painting depicting various facts

of Buddhism of mystic sect. Thanka is painted on silk

or cotton fabrics using bright colors of many

hues.Thanka is of exceptional quality, hand-paintedby Nepali and Tibetan artist. The word "Thanka" is

believed to have come from the Tibetan word "thang

yig" meaning a written record. Thanka are used as

wall -decorations. For, Lamas Thanka is object of

religious importance. Thanka is an object of devotion,

an aid to spiritual practice, and a bringer of blessings

On the basis of techniques involved and materials used

thanka can be grouped into several categories.

Generally they are divided into two broad categories:those which are painted (called bris-than in Tibetan)

and those which are made of silk either by weaving or

with embroidery (called gos-than). The painted thanka

are further divided into five categories:

Thanka with different colors in the background

Thanka with a gold background

Thanka with a red background

Thanka with a black background

Thanka whose outlines are printed on cotton support and then touched up with

colors

Thankas come in a huge variety of styles, depicting various subjects. Colorful

thanka paintings are generally represent Buddhist and Hindu Gods, Goddesses,

meditating Buddha and his life cycle, Wheel of Life, Mandala, Bhairab, Exotic

pictures, etc. Two basic types of thanka paintings are generally available, Tibetanstyle and Newari style (Paubha) i.e. Thanka each having its own fundamental style

of painting. A Thanka may portray the Buddha or some other deity, or a concept in

Tibetan cosmology, astrology or medicine. The iconography of the thanka is rich

in information about the spiritual practice of Buddhists and the Tibetan world

view. A thanka can help a mediator to learn and emulate the qualities of a

particular deity, or to visualize his or her path towards enlightenment. Thanka can



bring blessings on the household and serves as a constant reminder of the Buddha's

teachings of compassion, kindness and wisdom. Thanka of particular deities may

be used for protection or to overcome difficulties such as sickness. Most thanka are

scroll paintings usually framed in a rich colorful silk brocade and have thin silk

veil covering the front surface. They are distinctively Tibetan, highly religious, and

possess a unique art style of their own. Tibetans have always considered the thanka

a treasure of tremendous value.

There are different kinds of thanka employing various canvases. However, most

are painted on cloth or paper. The white cloth is first mounted on a frame and

water-based colloid chalk is applied to the surface. It is polished with talc when

dried. The canvas is thus ready for painting. Apart from this, there are thanka

which are webs of embroidery, woven silk, silk tapestry or appliqué. Embroidered

thankas are done with multi-colored silk threads. Silk woven thanka take the warp

of brocade as the base and applies the method of jacquard weaving with coloredsilk threads as the weft. With appliqué thanka, human figures, designs and patterns

are cut out of colored satin and glued onto the canvas. The resulting work is also

called ³embossed embroidery.´ Tapestry thanka are woven with the method of

³complete warps and broken wefts: which calls for the application of the weft

threads on the warp only where the picture or design needs it. The ³hollowed out´

work produces a three- dimensional effect. Tapestry thanka are thick, closely

woven, delicately designed and gorgeously decorated with colored silk threads.

There is yet another kind of thanka in which beautifully designed colored fabrics

decorated with pearls and precious stones are attached to the fabric with gold

thread thereby creating a resplendent and dazzling effect.

Although always religious in nature, Tibetan thanka cover a wide range of subject

matters. Some depict the social history and customs and habits of Tibet . Others

illustrate the Tibetan calendar, astronomy, and Tibetan traditional medicine and

pharmacology. Biographical thanka describe the major events in the life of

religious figures and historical personages.

Thanka painting involves mastery of many demanding techniques: mastery in

sketching the illustrations and numerous deities according to formal iconographyrules laid down by generations of Tibetan masters; learning to grind and apply the

paints, which are made from natural stone pigments; and learning to prepare and

apply details in pure gold. From the canvas preparation and drawing of the subject,

through to mixing and applying colours, decorating with gold, and mounting the

finished work in brocade, the creation of a thanka painting involves skill and care



at each stage and displays meticulous detail and exquisite artisanship.

A spiritual and religious expression as much as an art form, the process of learning

to paint thanka is rigorous. In the first three years, students learn to sketch the

Tibetan Buddhist deities using precise grids dictated by scripture. The two years

following are devoted to the techniques of grinding and applying the mineral

colors and pure gold used in the paintings. In the sixth year, students study in detail

the religious texts and scriptures used for the subject matter of their work. To

become an accomplished thanka painter, at least ten years training is required

under the constant supervision of a master. After the training process, students still

need five to ten years to become experts in thanka painting.

Thanka painting requires extended concentration, attention to detail, and

knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, and must be carried out in a peaceful

environment.

History Of Thangkas

The exact time of the origin or history of the

thangka or thanka art a religious painting

is not yet known. However, History of thanka

or thangka art Paintings in Nepal began in

11th century A.D. when Buddhists and

Hindus began to make illustration of thedeities and natural scenes. Historically,

Tibetan and Chinese influence in Nepalese

paintings is quite evident in Paubhas

(Thangkas). Paubhas are of two types, the

Palas which are illustrative paintings of the

deities and the Mandala, which is mystic

diagrams paintings of complex test,

prescribed patterns of circles and square each

having specific significance.

It was through Nepal that Mahayana

Buddhism was introduced into Tibet during

reign of Angshuvarma in the seventh century

A.D. There was therefore a great demand for

religious icons and Buddhist manuscripts for



newly built monasteries throughout Tibet. A

number of Buddhist manuscripts,

including Prajnaparamita, were copied in Kathmandu Valley for these monasteries.

Astasahas rika Prajnaparamita for example, was copied in Patan in the year 999

A.D., during the reign of Narendra Dev and Udaya Deva, for the Sa-Shakya

monastery in Tibet. For the Nor monastery in Tibet, two copies were made in

Nepal-one of Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita in 1069 A.D. and the other of

Kavyadarsha in 1111 A.D. The influence of Nepalese art extended till Tibet and

even beyond in China in regular order during the thirteenth century. Nepalese

artisans were dispatched to the courts of Chinese emperors at their request to

perform their workmanship and impart expert knowledge. The exemplary

contribution made by the artisans of Nepal, specially by the Nepalese innovator

and architect Balbahu, known by his popular name "Arniko" bear testimony to this

fact even today. After the introduction of paper, palm leaf became less popular;

however, it continued to be used until the eighteenth century. Paper manuscriptsimitated the oblong shape but were wider than the palm leaves.

From the fifteenth century onwards, brighter colours gradually began to appear in

Nepalese.Thanka / Thangka. Because of the growing importance of the Tantric

cult, various aspects of Shiva and Shakti were painted in conventional poses.

Mahakala, Manjushri, Lokeshwara and other deities were equally popular and so

were also frequently represented in Thanka / Thangka paintings of later dates. As

Tantrism embodies the ideas of esoteric power, magic forces, and a great variety of

symbols, strong emphasis is laid on the female element and sexuality in the

paintings of that period.

Religious paintings worshipped as icons are known as Paubha in Newari and

Thanka / Thangka in Tibetan. The origin of Paubha or Thanka / Thangka paintings

may be attributed to the Nepalese artists responsible for creating a number of

special metal works and wall- paintings as well as illuminated manuscripts in

Tibet. Realizing the great demand for religious icons in Tibet, these artists, along

with monks and traders, took with them from Nepal not only metal sculptures but

also a number of Buddhist manuscripts. To better fulfil the ever - increasing

demand Nepalese artists initiated a new type of religious painting on cloth thatcould be easily rolled up and carried along with them. This type of painting

became very popular both in Nepal and Tibet and so a new school of Thanka /

Thangka painting evolved as early as the ninth or tenth century and has remained

popular to this day. One of the earliest specimens of Nepalese Thanka / Thangka

painting dates from the thirteenth /fourteenth century and shows Amitabha

surrounded by Bodhisattva. Another Nepalese Thanka / Thangka with three dates



in the inscription (the last one corresponding to 1369 A.D.), is one of the earliest

known Thanka / Thangka with inscriptions. The "Mandalaof Vishnu " dated 1420

A.D., is another fine example of the painting of this period. Early Nepalese

Thangkas are simple in design and composition. The main deity, a large figure,

occupies the central position while surrounded by smaller figures of lesser

divinities.

Thanka / Thangka painting is one of the major science out the five major and five

minor fields of knowledge. It's origin can be traced all the way back to the time of

Lord Buddha. The main themes of Thanka / Thangka paintings are religious.

During the reign of Dharma King Trisong, Duetsen the Tibetan masters refined

there already well developed arts through research and studies of different

country's tradition. Thanka painting's lining and measurement, costumes,

implementations and ornaments are all based on Indian style. The drawing of

figures are based on Nepalese style and the background sceneries are based onChinese style. Thus, the Thanka / Thangka paintings became a unique and

distinctive art.

Thanka / Thangka have developed in the northern Himalayan regions among the

Lamas. Besides Lamas, Gurung and Tamang communities are also producing

Tankas, which provide substantial employment opportunities for many people in

the hills. Newari Thankas (Also known as Paubha) has been the hidden art work in

Kathmandu valley from 13th century. We have preserved this art and are

exclusively creating this with some particular painter family who have inherited

their art from their forefathers.Some of the artistic religious and historical paintingsare also done by the Newars of Kathmandu Valley.

Importance of Thangka or Thanka Paintings

Ever since the Buddhism rooted in Tibet, the

tradition of depicting Thangka or Thanka might

have been prevalent around in the area where

Buddhism spread. It was about 10th century

meanwhile tantric Buddism was gradually beingdeveloped in Tibet. The tradition of Thangka or

thanka painting was just outset in Tibet and is

not confined only within Tibet and Tibetan

community but those who adopted the Tibetan

Buddhism learnt this art so as Tamangs, Sherpas

,Thakalis, Yolmos, Manangeys, and Newars are



the instants. Most of the thangka or thanka

viewer simply think that thangka or thanka is an

art of the Buddhist scholar of higher

intellectuality revere it with entire homage

considering mystic power of Lamaistic dieties .

In accordance with the religious culture, the

Thangka to be kept at the worship room

sanctifies with holy water muttering mantras to

enliven thangka or thanka mystic power and puts

kada (a two feet long

silk cloth) on it . Since then the devotee use to bow his /her head before it at the

time of worship specially in the morning time. Almost people never consider the

thangka or thanka as an object of decoration. By worship of Tara (dolma) goddess

results lucrative for the business and as well as the (wrathful diety). Dharmapala

protects from the hazardous, calamity, subduing enemies, every accident andfulfilling ones desire in believed with empty heart.

Use Of Thangka or Thanka Paintings

There are various use of Thangka or Thanka Paintings. Thangka or Thanka serve

many purposed in Tibetan society. In times past, the aristocracy kept a number of

thangka or thanka as precious heirlooms. Ordinary people also invited artists to

create thangkas for them for religious purposes or to commemorate certain events.

Thangkas or Thankas are considered works of stateliness and, therefore, are found

in the halls and living quarters of all temples and monasteries.

y In a temple, thangka or thanka are use for worship and meditation of a priest,

and practice of specific Buddhism.

y Thangka or Thanka are intended to serve as a record of, and guide for

contemplative experience. For example, you might be instructed by your

teacher to imagine yourself as a specific figure in a specific setting. You

could use a thangka or thanka as a reference for the details of posture,

attitude, colour, clothing. etc., of a figure located in a field, or in a palace,

possibly surrounded by many other figures of meditation teachers, your

family, etc.. In this way, thangkas or thangka are intended to convey

iconographic information in a pictorial manner. A text of the same

meditation would supply similar details in written descriptive form.

y In Tibetan culture Thangka or Thanka is used for the time of the ceremony

on the 49 the of the reparative who passed away. Moreover, it is used also in



the case of the congratulation of a marriage ceremony or the New Year.

y Thangka or Thanka afford us important material for studying the religion,

history, culture, painting, arts and crafts, and scientific achievements of

Tibet.

y Thangka or Thanka is now a days used as a decorative objects.

Thanka or Thangka painting process or method or steps is very difficult. To

sketch the figures in a Thangka or Thanka, the artist must be an expert in the

measurements and proportions of Buddhas, Boddhisattvas and deities, as outlined

in Buddhist iconography. There are thousands of different deities in Tibeten

Buddhism. The artist will have to rely on a grid of exactly positioned lines to

sketch the deities. The basic system of these coordinates is one vertical and two

diagonal lines. The intersection of these three lines defines the centre of any

Thangka or Thanka. In Thangka or Thanka having more than one figure, there will

be additional circles and connecting lines, to contrast the main icon with the

background figure.

The grid system divides the painting into different parts with fixed proportions. If

the artist wants to have a Thangka twice the original size, he has to double thedimensions or distances between all the lines.

A completed thangka or thanka, however beautiful or impressive, never tells the

full story of the complex process artists undergo to create such a divine image. I

have compiled this list of thirteen steps involved in producing a traditional Tibetan

sacred painting to help you appreciate your new thangka or thanka. Although

certain elements of thangka or thanka painting have changed since artists began

painting in exile, much of Tibet 's traditional styles and techniques have been

painstakingly retained. I hope the following will both interest and enlighten you as

to this sacred ancient art.

There are several steps or process or method involved in making Thangka or

Thanka Painting.



1. GENERATING A PURE MOTIVE

In old Tibet , a thangka or thanka was the fruit of a sacred human trio: a lama, a

religious practitioner and a thangka or thanka artist. The practitioner, having

sought the counsel of a qualified Buddhist lama, learned which deity image of the

Tibetan pantheon was most beneficial for his or her spiritual practice. He or she

then invited a thangka or thanka painter to his or her home and hosted the artist

with the best possible hospitality for the duration of the painting process. If the

requested deity was especially difficult or unusual, the artist consulted with the

lama to clarify aspects of the image.

In order that the finished thangka or thanka be worthy of the practitioner's heartfelt

devotion, offering and meditation practice, the thangka or thanka painter generated

a pure intention free of all selfish motives and undertook the task with a

oyful mind. There was no discussion of price when the order was placed, and the

thangka or thanka was not considered a mere commodity bus as a living expression

of enlightened energy.

The practitioner must be willing to be patient and refrain from rushing the artist.

The combined energy generated by the realized lama, the devout practitioner and

the concentrated artist renders the finished thangka or thanka particularly sacred. In

modern times, it has become necessary to set prices for thangkas or thankas, but in

old Tibet an artist was paid whatever the practitioner could afford or felt was

appropriate. The artist felt grateful and happy regardless of the size or quality of payment.

2. CANVAS PREPARATION

The cloth to be painted undergoes a complex process

of preparation which takes between 14 to 20 days

depending on local climatic conditions. In Nepal foggy

Himalayan foothills, canvasses for the whole year

must be made in the dry months of March, April,

October and November. If a canvas is improperlyprepared, the entire thangka or thanka will be a failure.

First, the cloth is carefully sewn onto four lengths of

bamboo which are tightly strung to a large wooden

frame. The artist then spreads a cost of glue over the

whole canvas and leaves it to dry. He stirs up a



mixture of white clay, water and glue in a clean pot to

the consistency of thick cream. Blessed medicines or

other sacred substances are added if available. The

mixture is then strained through fine gauze to remove

any impurities and applied evenly to the dry canvas.

When this second coat has dried, the canvas is held up

to the light and the areas which have not been evenly

coated are patched up with more of the

clay mixture and again left to dry. This process is repeated 8-10 times until the

entire canvas is evenly coated.

The canvas is then laid upon a smooth wooden board and a small area is moistened

with water using a soft white cloth. Section by section, the artist vigorously rubs

the canvas smooth with a piece of white marble, moistening it with water as heworks. This takes about an hour. The entire canvas is then slowly are carefully

stretched by tightening the strings tied to the frame and left to dry in indirect sun.

Once dry, the entire procedure is repeated for the other side of the canvas,

stretching it after each moistening and leaving it to dry. When it has been

thoroughly treated and dried, the canvas should be so tightly stretched that it makes

a nice drum sound when tapped. This is the sign it is ready to be painted. The front

of the canvas is then polished with a conch shell.

3. FOUNDATIONAL LINE DRAWING

At this stage the artist bathes, takes purification vows

at dawn, meditates upon his tutelary deity, and

performs rituals to clear away obstacles and harmful

spirits. Having studied the description of the image to

be painted in a religious text and consulted a lama

about any confusing details, the artist recites the

sacred syllables of the Buddha or deity in question and

begins to draw.

Ideally, the artist recites these syllables and visualizes

the deity for the full duration of the creation of the

thangka or thanka. If this is done in a genuine way, the

thangka or thanka is very different from an ordinary

work of modern art and is inherently highly sacred.

The foundational lines are done in pencil (followed by



black ink in old Tibet ) and take between 10 to 30 days

to complete, depending on the size and complexity of

the thangka or thanka.

4. MIXING PAINT

It takes a full day to prepare the five primary colors.

Traditionally, the materials included a variety of

mineral and vegetable substances: minerals, precious

stones, bark, leaves, flowers (especially the rock rose),

gold, silver, copper, etc. Each had to be collected from

its source in different areas of Tibet , cleaned, ground,

powered, crushed or cooked.

Nowadays, artists in exile tend to opt for chemical

based pigments, easily available for purchase. In an

attempt to preserve the genuine tradition of Tibet , I

use natural materials as far as possible in my work.

While each color is being mixed, it is continuously

tested on the edges of the canvas and allowed to dry.

Only after the paint has completely dried does it reveal

its true color.



5. PAINT BR USH MAK ING

Traditional paint brushes were made out of several different materials. For painting

on rough surfaces, brushes were made out of Nama grass, a tough grass growing

along riverbanks. For medium soft brushes, the hair of horses' tails was uses. For

soft brushes of any size, the tufts of hair growing above goats' hooves, the fine hair

inside cows' ears, the fur of otters, the very soft feathers of mountain songbirds,

and the fur of brown and black cats (especially in India where the other hair and

fur is not available) are perfect for painting.

It takes 3 to 4 days to make about 20 high quality brushes. The handle of the brush

is a slender piece of upward growing bamboo cut just above the joint. One inch

long hair clipped from the animal has to be carefully mixed with powder and

sorted to find the hairs that resemble a needle in shape. These are carefully

extracted and laid side by side perfectly evenly.

Then they are very carefully inserted into the bamboo in such a way that all the

hairs lie together in a cone shaped point. They are seized in between the fingertips

and dunked into glue. The bamboo is also dunked in the glue, and the hair is then

inserted into the bamboo. Each hair must be perfectly in place. Then a string is

carefully tied around the bamboo, not too tight and not too loose. The brushes are

then left to dry.

6. PAINTING

There is a definite, specific sequence to color application. In general, the thangka or thanka is

painted from top to bottom. The first step is the sky,

which takes 3 to 6 days. An initial deep blue wash is

followed by innumerable slender, length wise brush

strokes to produce a stipple effect of lines. Then all the

blue parts of the thangka or thanka (water, clothing,

etc.) are filled in.

The dark green landscape and all the dark green areasare next. This is followed by light blue, then light

green, red, orange, pink, brown, pale orange, yellow,

pale yellow and finally white. When the whole series

of base coat colors have been applied and allowed to

dry, the thangka or thanka is scraped with a razor

blade, held at an arched angle to the cloth, to smooth



away any roughness in the paint. The dust is brushed

off with a soft cloth or feather.

7. REDRAWING AND SHADING

The original detailed lines of the clouds and flowers

which have been covered by paint are redrawn in

pencil and traced over in black ink. The artist then

shades them with a fine paintbrush. In general, a

thangka needs three applications of paint, but flowers

require many repeated applications of thin paint to

give them their effect of inherent radiance. A single

flower may take 3 to 7 days to complete.

8. DETAILS

Painting the intricate details of the back and

foreground landscape and brocade clothing designs

follows the same sequence of color application as

above. This takes 18 to 20 days to complete.



9. BODY SHADING AND FINAL PAINTING

The artist then shades in color to give shape to the

figure's body and face. The flowers are given a final

shading and all the minute background details such as

fish, deer, birds, fruit and countless grass blades are

painstakingly painted.

10. GOLD APPLICATION

A considerable quantity of gold is used to highlight

and give it its final glorious touches. This entails a

strenuous, complex process. Preparing the gold takes 7

to 10 days and applying it takes an additional 6 to 25

days. The artist generally purchases about 50 grams of

gold at a time (no more than five grams are applied to

a single thangka or thanka ) and employs a goldsmith

to heat, clean and beat it into sheets.

The artist cuts the sheets into tiny pieces and puts themin a mortar with water and grain sized pieces of marble

or glass. He grinds the mixture until the bits of marble

or glass are mere dust particles. More water is added

and the mixture is covered and allowed to stand

overnight. By morning, the gold has sunk to the

bottom and the milky mix of marble water is dumped

off.

This process is repeated with the addition of glue, andeach morning for seven days the surface water is

poured off. Finally, only glue is added to the gold and

this mix is vigorously ground to extract any remaining

impurities. The artist then



evenly heats a metal sheet over a medium flame. Adding water and a little glue, he

drops tiny dollops of gold onto the hot metal.

The water evaporates and the gold hardens into little pellets. A few of these are

then dissolved in water, glue and egg white or juice of Sema grass seed. After the

gold has been applied to the thangka, it is polished with a gZis stone.

11. OPENING THE EYES

This is the most important moment of a thangka or

thanka artist's work. Before painting the figure's eyes,

the artist bathes and makes offerings to the Buddha's

body, speech and mind. When the eyes have been

painted, seed syllables and prayers are inscribed on theback of the thangka or thanka to awaken the image's

energy.

12. BROCADE

A final 4 to 6 days elapses while the tailor affixes a

brocade frame to the completed thangka.

13. CONSECRATION

This final step is what distinguishes Tibetan Buddhist practice from ordinary "idol

worship." The practitioner takes his or her newly completed thangka or thanka to ahighly realized Buddhist master and makes offerings to request the master's

blessings.

The master, endowed with the clear mind of enlightenment, is able to "bring alive"

the image on the thangka or thanka by infusing it with energy and beseeching the

deity to open its eyes and look upon all sentient beings. The thangka or thanka,



having now been properly consecrated, is a receptacle of wisdom. It is ready to be

hung and venerated as a genuine living embodiment of enlightened mind.

It is important to note that this final step is only necessary if the thangka or thanka

artist himself is not acknowledged as a realized being. Over the centuries, many

important Buddhist masters have intentionally taken rebirth as thangka or thanka

painters, and if such an artist creates a thangka or thanka, the very mind of the

artist naturally consecrates the image being painted. In such cases, there is no need

to seek the services of a lama for an additional consecration.

These thangka or thanka making process or method, steps provides a guide in

achieving the desired visual effects required for the creation of quality thangka or

thanka. However, one must remain aware that it is essential to combine these

processes with the correct motivation, philosophy and creative ability to obtain a

thangka or thanka of excellence.

1.SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA THANKAS OR THANGKAS



Shakyamuni Buddha was born about 2549 years ago in what is now Nepal . He

was known as Siddhartha Gautama, a prince and son of King Suddhodana and

Queen Mayadevi. At the age of 29, he renounced the luxury of his royal heritage to

take up the life of a religious wanderer. He submitted himself to rigorous and

extreme ascetic practices, putting forth a superhuman struggle for six strenuous

years. At the age of 35, after gaining profound insight into the true nature of reality

(Dharma), he attained complete enlightenment. For the remainder of his life, living

as the perfect embodiment of all the virtues he preached, the Buddha ('Awakened

One') traveled widely teaching the Dharma. He offered his teachings to men,

women, and children from all walks of life so they could also end suffering and

attain awakening.

The Buddha Shakyamuni , at the moment of enlightenment, invoked the earth as

witness, as indicated by the fingers of his right hand, which spread downward in

Bhumisparshana Mudra, the "gesture of touching the earth." As the Buddhist

Sutras relate, the sun and moon stood still, and all the creatures of the world came

to offer obeisance to the Supreme One who had broken through the boundaries of

egocentric existence. All Buddhist art celebrates this supreme moment and leads

the viewer toward the Buddha's stylized footprints served as supports for

contemplating what was ultimately beyond words or form. As the possibility he

presented. "Don't look at me," he said, "but to the enlightened state." The first

anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha are said to have been drawn on

canvas from rays of golden light emanating from his body. Later Buddhist art

pictured the Buddha in numerous manifestations, but always as an archetype of

human potential, never as a historically identifiable person. All forms of the

Buddha, however, are commonly shown seated on a lotus throne, a symbol of the

open space, so too does the mind rise through the discord of its own experience to

blossom in the boundlessness of unconditional awareness.

Buddhism is not a static doctrine, but a creative expression of the interdependentnature of all things. It is a means by which we can discover in the heart of e

xperience, not ourselves, but a luminous and unfolding mystery. Buddhism

envisions the universe as a net of jewels, each facet of reality reflecting every other

facet. Our calling is not to escape this web of interdependent origination, but to

awaken to our indwelling Buddha nature, to see the world for what it is, and to

become Buddhas in our own right - beings of infinite awareness and compassion.



"Be a light unto yourself," Buddha Shakyamuni declared at the end of his life.

Become a Buddha, an awakened being, he urged, but never a blind follower of

tradition. The image of the Buddha, transcending time and place, centers us in our

innermost being. All the images in Celestial Gallery lead, ultimately, to the same

dynamic serenity in which the light touch of a hand can tame the entire universe

2. AMITABHA BUDDHA THANKAS OR THANKGAS



Painting of a Buddha is called in Sanskrit a "Buddharupa," meaning "the form of

an Enlightened One." So Amitabha Buddha thanka or thangka represent "Buddha

of Infinite Light," personifies the transmutation of passion into all encompassing

luminous awareness. Seated in his celestial paradise called Sukhavati, the "realm o

bliss," Amitabha rests his hands the gesture of meditation while holding the

begging bowl of an ordained Buddhist monk - a symbol of infinite openness and

receptivity.

In the Kalinga ± Bodhi Jataka, the Buddha condemns anthropomorphic

representations of his forms as "groundless, conceptual, and conventional"

(Avatthukam Manamattakam).

In deep meditation or spontaneous states of lucid awareness, body and mind can be

directly experienced as dissolving into porous and incandescent bliss, reshaping

itself as celestial being. The Buddhist art of Nepal and Tibet illustrates this inner reality, which has remained unchanged for millennia. Thangka Paintings Gallery

brings this trancenscendent world into vivid presence with its images of our

primordial nature, beyond culture and conditioning.

The Amitayur - Dhyana Sutra states, "if you ask how one to behold the Buddha is,

the answer is that you have done so only when the thirty - two major and minor

characteristics (i.e. the iconography) have been assumed in your own heart: it is

your own heart that becomes the Buddha and which is the Buddha." In this

Thangka, the Buddha Amitabha illustrates the timeless continuum of enlightened

awareness - mind and body liberated into the light of wisdom and compassion.According to Buddhist art history, the first images of the Buddha were traced from

the rays of light reflected from his body. In this final Thangka, the

anthropomorphic form of the Buddha dissolves back into the rays of light from

which it first manifested. This rainbow body represents not only the Buddha's own

luminous origins, but the potential within all beings to achieve the same exalted

state. The paintings in Thangka Paintings Gallery are points of departure, windows

more than scrolls, a gallery of empty forms to inspire our own journey into the

cosmos. From the point of view of Buddhist Tantra, life and death are a seamless

continuity. When we free ourselves from outmoded, each one is mirroring aspectsof our own deepest nature, which remains inseparable from the Buddhas of past,

present, and future. Breath enters the body like a spiraled rainbow, bringing with it

the life force of the universe. This vital air, or prana, feeds the subtle body that

dwells within us. In meditation, absorbed in the flow of the breath, we can actually

see this divine body.



3. WHEEL OF LIFE THANKAS OR THANGKAS

Commonly referred to as the " Wheel of Life ," this classical image from the

Tibetan Buddhist tradition depicts the psychological states, or realms of existence,

associated with the unenlightened state. A powerful mirror for spiritual aspirants,

the wheel of deluded existence is often painted to the left of Tibetan monastery

doors; it offers an opportunity for monks and pilgrims alike to look deeply into

their essential being. At the center of the Mandala , the intertwined images of a

pig, a rooster, and a snake symbolically depict the ignorance, greed, andaggression that characterize the worlds of suffering and dissatisfaction, which

Buddhist call Samsara . Surrounding the central figures are five concentric rings of

attendant deities or, in the case of these Thangkas , their symbolic equivalents.

The first circle, the circle of Great Bliss, consists of four goddesses in the four

cardinal directions. At the intermediate points of the compass are four skull cups

supported by vases and containing seminal essences, blood, five ambrosial



nectars, and the "five awakening." The second circle is the Circle of Mind (

C hittachakra ); the third is the Circle of Speech ( Vakrachakra ); the fourth, the

Circle of the Body ( Kayachakra ); and the fifth, the Circle of Tantric Vows (

Samayachakra ). In the second two versions, these circles are represented by

stylized lotus petals radiating from the central image. Each of the Mandalas isinscribed by a decorative frieze of mythical animals and floral motifs, an element

introduced into Buddhist painting in the mid twentieth century by Newar artists

of the Kathmandu valley. As a support for inner transformation, C hakrasamvara's

blissful radiance converts timid responses to reality into radical engagement.

When desire no longer clings to its object, it awakens to its primordial nature,

which no longer divides into self and other. This blissful awareness encompasses

all life and emotions, combusting in the liberating vision of selfless ecstasy. On the

outer ring of the first Mandala are the eight charnel grounds that confront Tantric

practitioners with a realm beyond hopes, desires, preferences, and fears. Thecharnel grounds signify the transformative energies of Tantra itself , the seamless

continuity of life and death. Ignorance of our true nature is transformed in the

charnel grounds into fearless and radiant awareness, the corpse of our mundane

self consumed by jackals and flames. Without an acceptance of death and

transfiguration, our aspirations to wholeness, to Buddhahood , can never bear

fruit. All Creation Begins with the sacred union of male and female energies. To

experience the pure creative passion between man and woman, to know

unconditional love, is to manifest the body, mind, and spirit of a Buddha .



4. MEDICINE BUDDHA THANKAS OR THANGKAS

The Medicine Buddha - our enlightened essence - is known as the great healer, the

energy which releases all beings from affection. According to the Tibetan tradition,

the Buddha emanated as Bhaishajyaguru, the "master of remedies," thousands of

years ago. He established the Tibetan medical tradition in the form of texts known

as The Four Tantras of Secret Instructions on the Eight Branches of the Essence of

Immortality, which are more commonly referred to as Gyushi, "The Four Medical

Tantras." The master of remedies holds in his right hand a spring of arura, or

cherubic myrobalan, from which much of Tibetan medicine is compounded. His

hand faces outward, symbolizing his bestowal of boons. In his left hand he holds a

bowl containing three forms of ambrosia: the nectar that cures disease and

resurrects the dead; the nectar that counteracts aging; and the supreme nectar that

illuminates the mind increases knowledge. The Tibetan psysian yeshi Donden

explained: Bhaishajyaguru is blue in color like the sky; his body is clear when

looking from the outside and clear when looking outward from inside... Look



carefully at how he is sitting, the shape of his eyes, the gesture that his hands are

displaying... and think about his qualities and altruistic activities...Imagine that

light rays spread out from the heart...radiating in the ten directions, entering into

the four elements, and turning them into highly potentialized medicines. These

light rays return and dissolve into the medicines in Bhaishajyaguru's begging bowl.

This is how the power of mantra and meditative stabilization affects the potencies

of medicines.' The Medicine Buddha's throne is supported by snow lions and

flanked by dragons. In the sky above him are five Buddhas and other celestial

beings. Below are fearful protectors of the path to wholeness. In the healing

practices of Tibetan medicine, the unconscious energies that often sabotage our

lives are restored to conscious awareness. When we recognize our inseparability

from all life, healing often occurs spontaneously - the expression of natural

abundance.

The Ambrosia Heart Tantra and essential text of the Tibetan medical tradition,states: The Supreme Healer, the King of Aquamarine Light, entered into meditative

absorption, with rays of multi ± colored light radiating from his heart in all ten

directions, dissolving the mental defilement of all animate beings and pacifying

ailments which arise from ignorance. Then drawing the light rays back to his heart,

the magical form of the Buddha Rigpa Yeshe emanated from his mind. Appearing

in the sky before him, he beseeched the Sovereign Healer, "O Master. As we desire

to obtain this bounty for the sake of ourselves and others, how may we learn the

oral teachings on the science of healing?" (Above text: from lama Thangka.)

Medicine Buddha is also called Bhaisajyaguru and dispenses spiritual as well asphysical healing. He wears monastic robes and sits in meditation holding in his left

hand a medicine bowl. In his right hand he holds the myrobalan plant, known for

its medicinal properties. " O Destroyer, complete in all qualities and gone beyond

and you four med icinal godd esses, please pacify immed iately t he ill nesses t hat

afflict me now and help me avoid all future sickness."

Medicine Buddha is the embodiment of the collective healing power of all the

Buddhas. He is the physician, the enlightened healer who protects living beings

from physical and mental sickness, as well as other dangers and obstacles.Medicine Buddha helps all beings to effectively eradicate the three poisons of

attachment, hatred, and ignorance, which are the cause of all sickness and

suffering. He has the power to see the true cause of all afflictions, whether

physical, psychological, or spiritual, and does whatever is necessary to alleviate

this suffering. Medicine Buddha has his right hand outstretched in the gesture of



supreme generosity, giving protection from illness and holding the great medicine

plant myrobalan.

Ancient teachings tell us that merely seeing the Medicine Buddha, or even seeing

an image of the Medicine Buddha, or hearing the name of the Medicine Buddha,

can confer inconceivable benefits. In Tibetan images of the Medicine Buddha the

left hand typically holds a blooming Myrobalan plant. Tibetan medicine recognizes

three basic types of illness, the root causes of which are the conflicting emotions --

passion, aggression, and ignorance. Myrobalan is the only herb in the Tibetan

pharmacopoeia that can aid in healing each of these three types of diseases. This is

like the action of the Buddha of Healing, who has the power to see the true cause

of any affliction, whether spiritual, physical or psychological, and who does

whatever is necessary to alleviate it.

"His right hand is extended, palm outward, over his right knee in the gesture calledsupreme generosity. In it he holds the Arura, or Myrobalan, fruit. This plant

represents all the best medicines. The position of his right hand and the Arura

which he holds represent the eradication of suffering, especially the suffering of

sickness, using the means of relative truth. Sickness can be alleviated by adjusting

the functioning of interdependent causes and conditions by the use of relative

means within the realm of relative truth, such as medical treatment and so on. The

giving of these methods is represented by the gesture of the Medicine Buddha's

right hand.

"His left hand rests in his lap, palm upward, in the gesture of meditative stability or meditation, which represents the eradication of sickness and suffering² and,

indeed, the very roots of samsara ² through the realization of absolute truth. From

the point of view of either relative truth or absolute truth, the fundamental cause of

sickness and suffering is a lack of contentment and the addictive quality of

samsara. Therefore, to indicate the need for contentment, in his left hand he holds a

begging bowl."

Tibetan Buddhists consider the Medicine Buddha Empowerment to be the most

powerful blessing for healing, dispelling sickness and for awakening the innate

healing wisdom that lies within every individual. The practice of the Medicine

Buddha meditation (sadhana), and all the other ways of connecting to the blessings

of the Medicine Buddha (such as those discussed on this page) are said to be much

more effective when one has received the Medicine Buddha Empowerment

(Tibetan: lung ; Sanskrit: abisheka ) from a qualified lama (Tibetan Buddhist

meditation master).



Medicine Buddha is one aspect of awakened mind, which the practitioner's (and

the vajra master's) vast real unconditioned (non conceptual) mind. In this

empowerment the lama reminds us, in a sense, of our deep innate connection with

the Medicine Buddha.

This empowerment is given periodically at various Tibetan Buddhist centers and

public venues around the world. It can be taken with the intention of practicing the

Medicine Buddha sadhana or as a blessing. In either case it would be expected to

enhance ones practical and spiritual efforts for the healing of oneself and others.

5. BUDDHA LIFE THANKAS OR THANGKAS



Buddha Life Thanka or Thangka illustrates the life story of Buddha. All the

historic part of Buddha's life is depicted visually in the Buddha Life Thangka. The

Day he was born from his mothers right arm pit as she rested her arm on the branch

of a big tree in the garden of Lumbini . The childhood locked inside the palace

compounds, freeing him from the evil and preventing him from seeing and

experiencing any kind of pain or suffering of outside world. The day he ventured

beyond the castle walls and came across sorrow, pain, death and those suffering -

he saw beggar, a cripple, a corpse and a holy man - which affected the prince

deeply, awakening a deep desire to find the corpse of suffering and thus alleviate

it. The night when he escaped the walls of palace, when all were asleep and began

the life of wandering ascetic. His years of fasting, meditation and time spent in

painful search to find a way to end suffering. The full moon night when he had a

direct realization of Nirvana (eternal peace), which transformed prince into

Buddha. The times he spent guiding people towards nirvana, love and friendship.

The Day he left this world at the age of eighty, having exhausted his human bodyfor the sake of all sentiment beings. All are shown in the Buddha Life Thangka.

In the central part of this modern painting Buddha Sakyamuni is seen meditations

in the ³earth touching´ gesture on a lotus throne with a modern silk cloth with a

visvavairan ark on it. He is flanked by two of his chief disciples namely Sariputra

and Maudgalyayana. His face seems very serene and his body is emitting auras

surrounding his body. He is holding a bowl with his left hand on the lab. Over the

top of his head a parasol is placed. Handing against the back ground of the Bodhi

tree. On the left corner of the painting, Queen Maya Devi in her palace bed is

having a dream in which a white elephant is seen descending from Tushita heaven

and this has entered to her womb from her right side. Just below this Queen Maha

Maya Devi is standing in the Salbhanjika posture holding a branch of a Plaksa tree

and delivering baby Siddhartha from her right side. The god Brahma is holding a

bodhisattva dressed in white silk, and is accompanied by two devas. Two celestial

fairies carrying flowers are welcoming Lady Mayadevi. She is wearing rich

garmjints, befitting a queen. Her face shows no signs of the pain of labor.

Just below the painting, Siddhartha can be seen making his great announcement

that he is the One who has conquered the temptations of the Buddhist ³Teptor,´Mara. And that this is his last birth. He makes this bold statement with his index

finger raised, as he steps upon a lotus. Baby Siddhartha's announcement is heard

and witnessed by a group of devas who offer him auspicious object.

Below this, prince Siddartha is shown with his charioteer Chandaka taking a

chariot beyond the palace walls. On the journey he observes a man suffering from



old age, an emaciated man stricken with an incurables disease, standing calm, quiet

and self ± possessed, leading a life of strict discipline embracing the spiritual path.

These characteristic vision formed the basis of Prince Siddhartha's great

renunciation.

Yet on another panel just below this Prince Siddartha, oppressed by the sorrow and

tribulation he saw, are his discarded princely garment and the ornaments of

royalty, seen near a Stupa. Siddartha is cutting his hair as the initiation of his vow

to become a monk. His Charioteer Chandaka and horse Kanthaka are seen crying

at the left side of the painting.

At the bottom panel of the painting the Bodhisattva Siddhartha is seen practicing

his austerities for six year, his body emaciated like a skeleton. Celestial damsels

are seen dancing trying to disturb his meditation.

On far right corner of the painting the Bodhisattva Siddhartha is seen receiving

sweet rice pudding from a lady called Sujata. After taking this food, Siddhartha is

seen having attained perfect enlightenment from his profound meditation under the

Bodhi Tree. Devas and human beings are seen offering the eight auspicious

symbols after his perfect Enlightenment. He is seen turning the wheel of dharma

for the first time preaching to his five disciples on four Noble Truths.

Just above this Buddha is seen descended to Sankasva to tame the six heretical

teachers after giving a discourse to his mother Maya Devi in the celestial realm. At

a certain time during the Buddha's life a band of monks called ³Vrijji´ quarreledamong themselves, unable to hear the instruction of Lord Buddha. To tame these

Vrijji monks Buddha went to the Parileyyaka forest unattended by monks. Instead

monkeys and elephants attended the Buddha faithfully at this Vrijji monks realized

their mistake and a respectful request to Buddha to return to their abode.

At the top right corner of the painting Buddha is seen reclining in his oath bed

attaining his great Parinirvana. The devotees and devas are seen crying at the death

of the Buddha.

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