Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Teacher (Lama)

བླ་མ། 喇嘛
(item no. 678)
Origin Location Eastern Tibet
Date Range 1700 - 1799
Lineages Nyingma, Kagyu, Drukpa (Kagyu) and Buddhist
Material Ground Mineral Pigment, Fine Gold Line on Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Catalogue # acc.# P1998.9.1
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Person

Interpretation / Description

Namkhai Nyingpo: performing a long-life ritual. He holds upraised in the right hand an arrow of longevity and a vajra scepter. In the left hand a bell is held close to the heart.

In the sky above, at the top center, are five teachers standing with the right hands each holding an arrow of longevity. Of these, at the far left is Garab Dorje. In front of each of the five figures stands a female consort making an offering.

At the top left is a collection of Long-life deities with a seated male figure, red in colour, embracing a female consort at the center of sixteen accompanying figures. Each holds in the right hand a long-life arrow. An inscription reads " I bow to the host of immortal long-life deities."

At the lower left is the standing female figure of Kandro Shel Kar (Dakini White Crystal). At the lower right is the protector deity with a wrathful (raksha) upper body and the lower body of a serpent (naga) riding a light brown horse, Genyen Nyonka.

Jeff Watt 5-2001 [updated 7-2010]

Front of Painting
Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: 'chi med tshe'i lha tshogs la phyag 'tshal lo. dga' rab rdor rje. ... chen rgya mtsho ... mi tra ... dbyangs phyug rgyal. ... can nam mkha'i snying. mkha' 'gro shel dkar rdo rje mtsho. dge snyan myon kha.

Secondary Images
Related Items
Publications
Publication: Selection of Works - Painting (RMA)

Thematic Sets
Collection of RMA: Persons Masterworks
Subject: Shrine, Buddhist
Buddhist Deity: Long-Life Deities
Tradition: Nyingma Teachers (Paintings)
Collection of RMA: Art Page
Nyingma: Teacher Masterworks (Painting)
Painting Type: Coloured Ground
Painting Tradition: Lhatog, Khampa Gar
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 5
Subject: Initiation Rituals
Exhibition: The Art of Tibetan Medicine