Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Padmasambhava - (Main Form)

པད་མ་འབྱུང་གནས། 莲花生大士
(item no. 896)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1800 - 1899
Lineages Nyingma
Size 85.09x60.96cm (33.50x24in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Catalogue # acc.# P1999.25.1
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Appearance: King

Gender: Male

TBRC: bdr:P4956

Interpretation / Description

Padmasambhava (Tibetan: pema jung ne. English: the Lotus Born): from the land of Oddiyana, Padmasambhava is considered one of the three principal founders of Tibetan Buddhism in the 8th century (Life-story painting).

Pemasambhava Pema Jungne Biographical Details

Padmasambhava holds a vajra in the right hand and in the left a white skullcup containing a long-life vase ornamented at the top with the Buddha of Long-life, Amitayus. Surrounding the vase are many colourful wish-fulfilling jewels. At the top center is a very small depiction of the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra special to the Nyingma Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

Jeff Watt 11-2000

Related Items
Thematic Sets
Padmasambhava: Facial Expressions
Padmasambhava Main Page
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 8
Subject: Hats of the Himalayas Main Page
Glossary: Hats of the Himalayas (Religious)
Iconography: Life Story Iconography
Padmasambhava: Main Form (Vajra at the Knee)
Padmasambhava: Patchwork Robe Examples