Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva & Buddhist Deity) - Sahasrabhujalokeshvara (11 faces, 1000 Hands)

སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས། 观音菩萨
(item no. 525)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1700 - 1799
Lineages Gelug
Size 59.69x43.18cm (23.50x17in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment, Fine Gold Line on Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Catalogue # acc.# F1996.31.12
Notes about the Central Figure

Alternate Names: Lokeshvara Avalokita Lokanata Lokanatha Mahakarunika

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Peaceful

Gender: Male

Interpretation / Description

Avalokiteshvara, Sahasrabhuja Ekadashamukha (Tibetan: chen re zi, chag tong, shal chu chig. English: the All Seeing Lord with 1000 Hands and 11 Faces).

Jeff Watt 4-2001


Sadhana Description:
"the Arya Eleven-faced One, white, standing with feet together. He has eleven faces, the root face white, right green, left red; above these, the central green, right white and left red; above these, the central red, right green and left white; above these, a wrathful, black face with bared fangs, three eyes and tawny, upward-streaming locks; and above this, a peaceful, red face, with an usnisa, having the appearance of a celibate (monk) and endowed with a neck. The first pair of hands are at the heart, with palms folded. The second right holds a rosary, the third eliminates the hunger and thirst of pretas, and the fourth holds a wheel. The second left holds a lotus, the third a water-pot, and the fourth a bow and arrow. The other 992 hands are boon-granting. In the palm of every hand there is a peaceful eye. A deerskin covers his left breast and the lower part of his body is covered with fine stuffs. He is beautiful with disordered tawny locks, crowned with Amitabha, and adorned with all kinds of jewel ornaments."

From Deities of Tibetan Buddhism, Wisdom Publications, 2000. Translated by Martin Willson from the sadhana text Drup Tab Rinjung of Panchen Tanpai Nyima (1782-1853) the Fourth Panchen Lama: biographical reference.

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Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Avalokita (Painting)
Tradition: Gelug Deity Paintings
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 3
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara Main Page