Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Teacher (Lama) - Karma Lobsang

བླ་མ། 喇嘛
(item no. 171)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1600 - 1699
Lineages Kagyu
Size 90.17x68.58cm (35.50x27in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Catalogue # acc.# F1997.11.2
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Person

TBRC: bdr:P1909

Interpretation / Description

Karma Lobzang (born 17th century). A Kagyu lama belonging to the lineages of Marpa, Dagpo and Kamtsangpa.

Biographical Details

Karma Lobsang holds a book in the lap with the left hand along with the stems of utpala flowers supporting a vajra and bell over each shoulder. Lineage teachers are seated above and at the sides.

At the bottom center of the composition is an unidentified donor figure seated before a shrine and accompanied by a single attendant figure. Above the shrine is the wealth deity Yellow Jambhala. At the left side is the meditational deity Chakrasamvara and slightly to the right is the mountain goddess Tseringma riding a white snow lion. At the right is Panjara Mahakala according to the tradition of Nagarjuna and Ngogton. Slightly to the left is the female deity Chandika, red in colour, with one face and four hands. (Name inscriptions accompany each of the figures).

Jeff Watt 11-2000

Front of Painting
Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: lung rtogs bstan pa'i mdo mdzod kha phye nas. snyan brgyud yid bshin nor bu legs blangs te. bskal ldan blo yi dbul pa sal mdzad pa'i. karma blo bzang shabs la bsol ba 'depa. ... par rgyur cig.

Secondary Images
Related Items
Thematic Sets
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 2
Tradition: Kagyu Teachers (Paintings)
Painting Set: Rechung Nyan Gyu Lineage
Tibet: Painting (West Tibet)