Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Teacher (Lama) - Trinle Shingta

བླ་མ། 喇嘛
(item no. 873)
Origin Location Eastern Tibet
Date Range 1800 - 1899
Lineages Kagyu and Drukpa (Kagyu)
Size 87.63x59.06cm (34.50x23.25in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment, Fine Gold Line on Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Painting School Karma Gardri
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Person

Appearance: Monastic

Gender: Male

TBRC: bdr:P842

Interpretation / Description

Kagyu Trinle Shingta, the 7th Drugchen (1718-1766) [TBRC P842]: with the right hand extended across the knee and the left in the lap supporting a long-life vase; dressed in the robes of a monk. This composition is from a set of paintings, of an unknown number, depicting the Drugpa Kagyu lineage of Drugchens. Only one other painting from the set is known to exist. That painting, belonging to Tibet House, New York, is of Kunzig Chokyi Nangwa, the 8th Drugchen (1768-1822) [TBRC P846]. (See detail images).

Biographical Details

Directly above is Katog Rigdzin Chenpo Tsewang Norbu (1698-1755) [TBRC P676]. With the hands in the gesture of meditation he holds a skullcup and long-life vase in the lap. Attired in the variously coloured garments of a layman, he wears a lotus hat atop the head with long black hair beneath.

Tsewang Norbu

At the upper left is Tamche Kyenpa Drolwai Gon (Jonang Taranata). The right hand holds a vajra to the heart and the left, resting on the knee, cups an upturned bell. Wearing the orange robes of a monk and a red pandita hat, he sits on a cushioned seat and gazes to the side.

Taranata

At the bottom center is the peaceful enlightened protector Shri Lakshmi (Tibetan: pal lha mo) the peaceful form of Shri Devi. (Name inscriptions accompany the various figures and life-story vignettes).

Jeff Watt 11-2000

Numbered Image:
1. Kagyu Trinle Shingta
2. Katog Tsewang Norbu
3. Jonangpa Taranata
4. The King of Kathmandu receives Trinle Shingta
5. Workers carrying the main beam of stupa
6. Trinle Shingta and Katog Tsewang Norbu instruct the renovation of Phagpa Shingkun (Swayambu)
7. Hemis Monastery (ladakh, India)
8. Trinle Shingta circumambulates Mt. Kailash
9. Yangon Monastery
10. Poskya Monastery
11. Norbu Gang Monastery (Bhutan)
12. Shri Lakshmi
13. Trinle Shingta sees Palden lhamo ( Shri Devi) while receiving an empowerment
14. Druk Choeding Monastery (Kongpo, Tibet)
15. Jarchen Pema Yongzong
16. While staying in Kyirong, Master Trinle Shingta pays his respect and consecrates a Stupa

Front of Painting
Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: thamd mkhyen pa sgrol ba'i mgon. rigs 'dzin chen po tshe dbang nor bu. rje gong ma 'phrin las shing rta la na mo.

Secondary Images
Related Items
Thematic Sets
Tradition: Kagyu Teachers (Paintings)
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 5
Subject: Stupa Pilgrimage Sites
Collection of RMA: Best of Collection 2
Tradition: Drugpa Kagyu Main Page
Teacher: Katog Tsewang Norbu
Collection of RMA: Painting Masterworks Page
Collection of RMA: Persons Masterworks
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Subjects