The Three Vehicles of Buddhism presented as an Outline Page linking to all of the secondary pages. In Himalayan and Tibetan art the Three Vehicles are depicted in very clear and succinct iconographic forms and models. The Hinayana and Mahayana are generally presented uniformly the same by the various Buddhist Traditions. However, the presentation of the Vajrayana is divided between Nyingma and Sarma and depicted in two very different ways that reflect the differing histories and origins between the 'Old' and 'New' Tantras.

This Bodhisattva Outline Page is a recreation of what a specific nine composition Eight Bodhisattva painting set would look like when complete. The images of the paintings represented here are from a number of different sets. Six partial sets are known to exist. The central image, likely to be that of Amitabha Buddha, is missing along with three of the eight bodhisattvas: Avalokiteshvara, Samantabhadra and Nivarana Vishkhambin. The six different sets all appear to follow the same compositional model. Stylistically they follow conventions that are more common with painting styles from the Kham region of Eastern Tibet. The correct order and position of each of the bodhisattvas is not yet determined.

Vajrabhairava is a complex meditational deity found in all of the new (Sarma) Traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. There are two different iconographic traditions for depicting the nine faces. Knowing how the faces are depicted is important in identifying the lineage or Buddhist tradition of a painting or sculpture.

Dralha Appearance, especially in the terminology of artists, refers to a figure having the general appearance of a Tibetan warrior - typically male, wearing armor and riding a horse. They can have a peaceful, semi-peaceful or wrathful expression. Many Tibetan & Himalayan Mountain Gods have this Dralha appearance, however not all of them are defined or referred to as Dralha, although they have the appearance of a Dralha.

The red hats of the three Karma Kagyu teachers Shamar, Gyaltsab & Tai Situ can all appear to be identical in colour, shape and design. According to oral and literary tradition the hats are all described as being slightly different. When observing both paintings and sculpture it is almost impossible to be 100% accurate in making an identification without looking at a multiplicity of indicators. See a comparison of just Shamar hats and a previous post from February 7th 2010 discussing the both the red and black hats of the Karma Kagyu Tradition.

The figures of Shakyamuni Buddha and Akshobhya Buddha are commonly mistaken for each other because of the placement of a vajra scepter. Shakyamuni often has a vajra placed on the seat slightly in front of the folded legs, but never holds a vajra. The vajra represents the location - Vajrasana (Bodhgaya, India). Akshobhya Buddha often holds an upright standing vajra in the palm of the left hand. This is the principal attribute of Akshobhya symbolizing the Vajra Family of Tantric Buddhism. Represented in a Tantric context, Akshobhya is often shown wearing an elaborate crown and jeweled ornaments - which Shakyamuni generally does not.

Both the 5th Karmapa, Dezhin Shegpa (1384-1415), and the student and representative of Je Tsongkapa, Jamchen Shakya Yeshe (1355?1435), founder of Sera Monastery, received gifts of a black hat from the Yongle Emperor of China - Taming Gyallon. Although both black and somewhat different in design as seen in the examples below where both figures are the central subject. It is not always easy to distinguish the finer characteristics of the black hat when the subjects are depicted as minor figures in larger painted compositions.

The general depiction of both Gesar and Dralha follow that of a Tibetan warrior, atop a horse, clad in armor and a helmet with elaborate flag pennants and streamers. And again, both Gesar and Dralha can be accompanied by eight horseman. Aside from these two, numerous characters from the Gesar Epic have the same appearance as do a number of Tibetan mountain gods. It is very easy to confuse most of these figures.

Deities with a Kila lower body are not so rare in Tantric Buddhism. All of the example listed here are either 'Pure Vision' or 'Revealed Treasure' teachings.

Milarepa has a very distinctive look and posture. He can easily be confused with a number of other Tibetan figures that are considered to be his later incarnations, such as Ngagwang Lobzang Tanpa'i Gyaltsen and Shabkar (both from Amdo). In Tibetan Buddhist religious history there are dozens of incarnation lines (tulku) that claim to be descended from the famous yogi and singer Milarepa.