Pantaka, the Elder (Tibetan: ne ten, lam ten. Sanskrit: Sthavira Pantaka): the 13th arhat from the set of 16 great arhats, principal students of the Buddha Shakyamuni.

"In the Heavens of the Thirty-three is the noble elder Pantaka, surrounded by 900 arhats; homage to the One [performing] Dharma explication and holding a book." (Sakya liturgical text).

The Sixteen Great Arhats are generally painted as a set. The full group would include the buddha Shakyamuni, the 16 arhats, the attendant Dharmatala, the patron Hvashang and the Four Guardians of the Directions - Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dritarashtra and Virudhaka.

Jeff Watt 4-2004

(There are ten more paintings from this set found in the Shechen Archives Photographic Collection and another painting in the Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York. The Arhat Pindola, China, Ming Dynasty, c.a. 1600. Li996.2.)