Item: Padmasambhava

Pema Gyalpo Padmasambhava and accompanying deities based on a prayer called The Great Cloud of Blessings written in 1879 by Mipam Jamyang Namgyal Gyatso (1846-1912 [P252]).

Video: HAR #206107

Pema Gyalpo Padmasambhava is peaceful in appearance, white in colour, with on face and two hands. The right hand holds a vajra scepter to the heart and the left a white skullcup and vase in the lap. Leaning against the left shoulder is a katvanga staff with a trident point. Seated in vajra posture he is surrounded by sphere of light and a flower blossom circle.

At the top center is Amitabha Buddha in typical red appearance performing the gesture of meditation. Directly below is is Vajradharma Avalokita, red in colour, peaceful, with one face and two hands performing the embracing gesture holding a vajra and bell, seated in vajra posture. (Vajradharma Avalokita can easily be mistaken for Vajradharma Buddha of the Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini cycle of Tantras as both can have similar appearance along with the same name. See Confused Visual Subjects).

At the upper left side is Red Tara, peaceful, one face and two hands, seated in a relaxed manner. She is identical to the Atisha tradition Tara except without the red vase in the extended right hand. There are a number of similar iconographic forms with the one face and two arms although each with a variety of added and diverse hand attributes.

Below that is Guhyajnana Dakini, red with one face and four hands, holding a curved knife, sword, trident and skullcup, standing in a dancing posture.

Red Kurukulla, at the lower left side, is similar in appearance to Guhya Jnana, although with different hand attributes. She holds a bow and arrow, hook and lasso all made of red utpala flowers.

At the upper right side is Red Hayagriva in the appearance of 'Secret Accomplishment' along with a consort, blue in colour. He has three faces, six arms and eight legs.

Below that is Vajravarahi in her typical appearance although without a sows head. A small red wrathful figure stands above the head.

At the lower right side is Red Takkiraja, wrathful in appearance with one face and two hands holding a trident and a skullcup, wearing all the fierce adornments.

The iconography of the central figure of Pema Gyalpo appears to be unique or possibly specific to a tradition of Nyingma Pure Vision or 'Revealed Treasure.' All of the secondary eight deities are standard in appearance and typical of the New Tantras, (Sarma Tradition) except for the Hayagriva following the Kyergangpa and Nyemowa style along with the added blue consort. The Takkiraja is unusual in that the hand attributes of a katvanga trident and a skullcup do not appear to follow standard iconographic programs.

The painting is in a modern Tibetan style incorporating general compositional elements form the Palpung Monastery style of painting along with decorative and detail elements from the Central Tibetan New Menri style and Tashi Lhunpo Monastery styles of painting.

Jeff Watt 7-2026