Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Mandala of Eight Pronouncement Deities

བཀའ་བརྒྱད་ལྷ་ཚོགས། 八大法行
(item no. 89981)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1200 - 1299
Lineages Nyingma and Buddhist
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Private
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Interpretation / Description

Chemchog Heruka at the center of a mandala representing all of the Eight Pronouncement Deities according to the 'Revealed Treasure' of Nyangral Nyima Ozer.

At the center is Chemchog Heruka with three faces and six hands, red-black in colour, wrathful and embracing a consort. The three right hands hold vajra scepters, nine, five and three pronged. the three left hands hold three different types of skullcups.

Arrangements of Deities:
- Centre: Mahottara (3 faces)
- East: Vishuddha Heruka (lower front, 6 o'clock)
- South: Yamari (left, 9 o'clock)
- West: Hayagriva (top, 12 o'clock)
- North: Vajrakilaya (right, 3 o'clock)
- North East: Möpa Dragngag (5 o'clock)
- South East: Mamo Bötong (7 o'clock)
- South West: Lama Rigdzin (Padmasambhava) (11 o'clock)
- North West: Jigten Chötö (1 o'clock)

In the lower register, at the center is Raven-faced Mahakala with Chaturbhuja Mahakala to the left and Vaishravana Riding a Lion on the right. At the right corner is a lay male donor figure. Immediately to the left is Shri Devi Dorje Rabtenma on a donkey or horse mount accompanied by a male wrathful figure also on a black mount. At the far left side are three wrathful attendant figures.

Jeff Watt 5-2013 [updated 3-2023]

Related Items
Thematic Sets
Subject: Winged Deities (Bon & Buddhist)
Tradition: Nyingma Religious Context
Mandala: Mandala Main Page
Nyingma: Mandala Masterworks
Tradition: Kagyu Deity Paintings
Tradition: Nyingma Deity Paintings
Collection: Private 1
Mandalas: Nyingma Tradition
Buddhist Deity: Eight Pronouncement Heruka
Teacher: Nyangral Nyima Ozer (Related Subjects)
Mandala: Early Works (1100-1399)
Tradition: Nyingma Masterworks
Buddhist Deity: Mahottara (Holding a Vajra & Skullcup)
Mandala: Deity Figures & Shapes
Mandalas: Kagyu
Padmasambhava: Early Images (Primary & Secondary)
Mandala: Complex Multi-Mandalas
Buddhist Deity: Eight Heruka Mandalas