Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Manjushri (Bodhisattva & Buddhist Deity) - Arapachana

འཇམ་དཔལ་དབྱངས། 文殊师利菩萨
(item no. 77105)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1400 - 1499
Lineages Sakya and Buddhist
Size 100x86cm (39.37x33.86in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Publication: Wisdom Publications, Calender
Painting School Gyangtse
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Peaceful

Gender: Male

Interpretation / Description

Arapachana Manjushri, Orange (Tibetan: a ra pa cha na jam pal yang, mar ser. English: Orange Arapachana the Splendid Melodious Voiced One). The bodhisattva that represents the wisdom of all the buddhas of the ten directions and three times.

Video: An Exceptional Manjushri Painting : HAR #77105

Sanskrit: Manjushri Tibetan: Jam pal yang

"...Arya Manjushri with a body orange in colour, having the colour of fresh saffron, one face and two hands. The right holds aloft the sword of wisdom severing ignorance and in the left the stem of an utpala to the heart, blossoming at the ear with the Prajnaparamita book above. With the feet seated in vajra posture, having jewel ornaments and upper and lower garments of silk, the hair tied to the left in five tufts - [some] loose; having the appearance of a youth of sixteen years. A moon disc with the nature of light supports the back." (Sakya Lotsawa Kunga Sonam (1485-1533), 23rd Throne Holder of Sakya. sGrub Thabs Kun bTus, vol.2, fol.258-261. Translated into English by (c)Jetsun Kusho Chimey Luding and Jeff Watt. May 1984).

Lineage: Holy Manjushri, Mahasiddha Jetari, Ashokanta Shri, Vajrasana the Senior - Lalitavajra, the Younger - Amoghavajra, Bari Lotsawa, Tsechen Kunga Nyingpo, Sonam Tsemo, Dragpa Gyaltsen, Jamgon Sakya Pandita, Palchen Gvalo, etc.

At the top left side is Shakyamuni Buddha. At the right side is the bodhisattva Maitreya in buddha appearance. Two offering goddesses are situated in the sky above. Seated to the viewer's left side of Manjushri is Vajrapani, peaceful, blue in colour. Seated at the rights side is Avalokiteshvara in a relaxed posture. Below those, at the left side is a Manjushri, blue in colour. At the right is Sarasvati, white in colour, holding a vina.

Along the bottom, beginning at the left side is Hayagriva, red, with three faces and six arms, green Vajravidarana, wrathful Bhurkumkuta with three faces and six arms, Panjarnata Mahakala, and Shri Devi Dudsolma riding a donkey.

"He whose intellect is free of the clouds of the two obscurations, completely clear like the sun, seeing, however many all meanings as they are, holds a book to his heart.

Discoursing with sixty separate melodious tones and a love for all the hosts of beings tormented by suffering, covered with the darkness of ignorance in the prison of existence, like for an only child.

Roaring loudly like a dragon to wake from the two afflictions, to free from the shackles of karma, and to clear the darkness of ignorance; severing the seedlings of misery, however many, holding a sword.

Pure from the beginning and reaching the tenth stages end, a complete body of qualities; principal form of the Buddha's sons.

Adorned with one hundred and twelve ornaments, clearing the darkness of my intellect; homage to Manjushri-ghosha." [Five Hundred Panditas Prayer. Translated by Jeff Watt, Vancouver, Canada. May 1984].

Jeff Watt 5-2022

Wisdom Calendar 1994 - Cover (full catalog list)

Secondary Images
Related Items
Publications
Publication: Wisdom Publications: Calendar Collection

Thematic Sets
Buddhist Deity: Manjushri, Arapachana (Main Page)
Buddhist Deity: Manjushri (Painting Masterworks)
Buddhist Deity: Manjushri Religious Context
Essay: Manjushri, Similarities & Differences
Iconography: Deities According to Function (Buddhist Traditional)
Buddhist Deity: Manjushri Main Page
Buddhist Deity: Manjushri, Arapachana (Painting Masterworks)
Subject: Wisdom Increasing Deities Main Page
Painting Style: Gyantse Scroll Paintings
Tantra Classification: Charya Tantra Masterworks
Buddhist Deity: Manjushri Videos
Iconography: Popularity of Deities
Painting Style: Gyantse (Large Format)