Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Teacher (Lama) - Buddhashri

བླ་མ། 喇嘛
(item no. 269)
Origin Location Central Tibet
Date Range 1500 - 1599
Lineages Sakya and Ngor (Sakya)
Size 91.44x58.42cm (36x23in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Catalogue # acc.# P1996.13.1
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Person

Appearance: Monastic

Gender: Male

TBRC: bdr:P3296

Interpretation / Description

Buddhashri (1339-1419. Tibetan: sang gye pal): surrounded by the lineage teachers of the Yogachara tradition of the Bodhisattva ordination, made famous in India by the two brothers Asanga and Vasubhandu. Buddhashri was also the principal teacher of Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo, the founder of the Ngor sub-school of Sakya.

In the middle of the bottom register are Sita Prajnaparamita and Sita Vajravarahi, both white in colour and functioning as Wisdom Deities with the purpose of increasing wisdom and knowledge in the practitioner.

The painting was commissioned by Lhachog Sengge (1468-1535) and the artist's name was Dorje Tsetan.

Biographical Details

Jeff Watt 4-2001

Front of Painting
Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: grub pa'i dbang phug budha' shri' sems tsam lugs kyi brgyud pa dang bcas pa'i zhabs kyi padmo la. bdag sha' kya' dge slong lha mchog seng ge phag 'tshal zhing skyabs su 'chio. skye ba dang tshe rab kun du rjes su bzung du gsol. pir 'dzin dbang po rdo rje tshe brtan yin. man ga lam.

Secondary Images
Related Items
Exhibition Appearances
Exhibition: RMA Masterworks, January 28th, 2021

Thematic Sets
Teacher: Buddhashri (Sanggye Pal)
Collection of RMA: Ngor Style Paintings
Subject: Ngor Tradition (Teachers)
Subject: Ngor Masterworks
Chronology: Sakya Painting & Sculpture - Dated
Teacher: Sakya (Masterworks)
Collection of RMA Masterworks Main Page
Teacher: Lhachog Sengge (Commissioned Paintings)
Subject: Margapala Lineage Paintings (Sakya)
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 7
Tradition: Sakya Teachers
Teacher: Lhachog Sengge & Commissions (RMA)
Painting Style: Tibet (Balri)
Buddhist Deity: Vajravarahi, White
Buddhist Deity: Prajnaparamita, White
Collection of RMA: Best of Collection 1
Painting Set: Margapala (Miscellaneous)
Collection of RMA: Painting Masterworks Page
Collection of RMA: Persons Masterworks