Putowa Rinchen Sal (1027-1105): from the group of three main students of Dromton Gyalwa'i Jungne in the Kadampa Lineage of Jowo Atisha.

Biographical Details

Elegant and disciplined with the eyes gazing forward he wears a thin moustache, goatee and sideburns following the line of receding hair. Held in the right hand is an unadorned walking stick cut from a stalk of cane. In the left held across the knee he holds a string (mala) of prayer beads. Wearing the orange and red patchwork robes of a fully ordained monk (bhikshu) he sits in vajra posture with the two legs interlocked atop an orange patchwork mat above a low throne with a backrest, decorated with wishing jewels. The small green table in front supports a gold incense burner, black begging bowl, gold water flask and a blue flower vase. Resting in front is a placid deer. At the right, Geshe Rolpa Sherab Gyaltsen sits in the posture of meditation, attired neatly in the orange robes of a monk. A store of precious jewels and red coral is crowded at the edge of a blue circular pond. (Both have name inscriptions written in fine gold lettering).

At the top left on a bank of clouds is a mahasiddha wearing flowers in the hair and attired in various coloured garments. The right hand is held in the mudra of blessing (gesture) and the left casually placed across the knee, seated in a relaxed posture (no name inscription). At the right side a lama performs the mudra of fearlessness with the right hand and blessing gesture with the left. Wearing the robes of a monk and a pandita hat he is seated on a monk's mat in a relaxed posture (obscured name inscription). Between the two figures an idyllic monastery setting is placed amongst forested hills with a row of caitya (stupa) reliquary structures on an upper ridge. Putowa served as the abbot of Reting Monastery (founded by Dromton 1005-1064) and under his guidance the Kadampa School achieved a great deal of reknown.

Jeff Watt 2-99