Item: Teacher (Lama) - Teacher

This painting depicts Draktokpa Sönam Zangpo (Brag thog pa bSod nams bzang po, d. 1460s/70s).

In the Sakya Exhibition in the Palace Museum, Beijing from February to May 2026, this painting was mis-identified as Tekchen Chöje Künga Tashi, who was the Lamdre teacher of Draktokpa Sönam Zangpo.

"However, when the iconographic features of Draktokpa’s depiction are compared with those in murals at at the college (grwa tshang) of Kunsang Tse (Kun bzang rtse) in Gongkar monastery (HAR 60233) and in the assembly hall (’du khang) of Drathang (Grwa thang) monastery, it becomes clear that the third painting depicts not Tekchen Chöje, but his disicple Draktokpa. In turn, Draktokpa was one of the principal teachers of Gongkar Dorje Denpa Künga Namgyel (Gong dkar rDo rje gdan pa Kun dga’ rnam rgyal, 1432–1496), the founder of Gongkar Chode monastery. The recurring iconographic features include his hand position with a vajra held in his right hand and a bell in the left, as well as the ring-shaped robe fastener with a cord (a typical marker of the Khyenri style)."

Source: Jorg Heimbel, "Reconstructing the “Sakya Exhibition 2: Depictions of Sakya Masters and Associated Lineages", 7-2026