Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Teacher (Lama) - Tsongkapa

བླ་མ། 喇嘛
(item no. 57040)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1700 - 1799
Lineages Gelug and Buddhist
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Private
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Person

Appearance: Monastic

Gender: Male

TBRC: bdr:P64

Interpretation / Description

Tsongkapa Life Story from a larger set of likely fifteen paintings. The composition of this painting does not belong to the popular system of composition composed by Jamyang Shepai Dorje (1648–1721) in the early 18th century. (See HAR #79017, 72000, 54496, 50238).

Across and above from the figure of Tsongkapa are the deities Medicine Buddha, Amitayus, Ushnishavijaya Sitatapatra and Vasudhara. Below that are the wrathful meditational deities Vajrabhairava, Mahachakra Vajrapani along with the peaceful White Tara. At the lower left are Chaturbhuja Mahakala, Yama Dharmaraja and Kshetrapala. At the bottom center are the protector deities Vaishravana and Panjarnata Mahakala.

Jeff Watt [updated 11-2023]


Bibliography:

King of Dharma, The Illustrated Life of Je Tsongkapa, Teacher of the First Dalai Lama. Michael Roach & Christie McNally. Asian Classics Input Project. Howell, NJ, 2008.

Reverse of Painting
English Translation of Inscription: [Numerous inscriptions describing the major narrative vignettes on the front of the painting]

Related Items
Thematic Sets
Teacher: Tsongkapa Life Story (Masterworks)
Collection: Private 1
Teacher: Tsongkhapa Main Page
Teacher: Tsongkapa Life Story Main Page
Teacher: Tsongkapa Life Story (asymmetrical)
Teacher: Tsongkapa (Biography)
Teacher: Tsongkapa Life Story Paintings (Masterworks)
Teacher: Tsongkapa (Painting Masterworks)
Subject: Narrative Sets, Side Figure
Teacher: Tsongkapa Life Story Painting Sets