Hayagriva
(item no. 926)

Tibet

1800 - 1899

Nyingma and Shangpa Kagyu Lineages

46.36x33.66cm (18.25x13.25in)

Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton

Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

(acc.# P1999.33.3)

 


Hayagriva 'Secret Accomplishment' (Tibetan: tam drin sang drup. English: Horse Neck): terrific deity of the Padma (Lotus) Family, manifestation of the wrathful activity of Buddha Amitabha, from the Terma (Treasure) Tradition of Kyergangpa, 12th century.

??King of the Wrathful, Hayagriva, with a body red in colour, three faces and six hands. The main face is red, right green, left white. Each face has three eyes, radiant, with bared fangs. The hair, moustache and beard are blazing. At the crest of the three faces are three green horse heads with mouths sounding with the neighing of horses. ? With six hands, the first right holds a vajra, second a katvanga, third a sword. The first left a wrathful gesture, second a spear, third a lasso of intestine. Having a crown of five dry human skulls and a necklace of fifty fresh, wearing an upper garment of human skin and an elephant hide, and a lower garment of tiger skin; with a Brahman cord of human hair. Adorned with drops of blood, clots of mold, bunches of charnel ashes and coils of snakes. The eight legs trample upon the eight great nagas in the aspect of snakes; standing in the vast blazing fire of pristine awareness.? (Terdag Lingpa Gyurme Dorje (1646-1714) and Min-ling Lochen Dharmashri 1654-1718. Tibetan source text 'dod 'jo bum bzang, Part I, page 247-248).

Jeff Watt 12-2000


View other items in:
Publication
Publication: Dojo Bumzang - Images

Thematic Set
1800 - 1899 (19th Century) Part II
Buddhist Deity: Hayagriva (Secret Accomplishment)
Tradition: Nyingma Deity Paintings
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery IX
Buddhist Deity: Hayagriva
Tradition: Shangpa Kagyu Introduction



Copyright © 2008 Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation.
Photographed Image Copyright © 2004 Rubin Museum of Art