Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva & Buddhist Deity) - Chaturbhuja (4 hands)

སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས། 观音菩萨
(item no. 90523)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1800 - 1899
Lineages Nyingma and Buddhist
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art
Notes about the Central Figure

Alternate Names: Lokeshvara Avalokita Lokanata Lokanatha Mahakarunika

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Peaceful

Gender: Male

Interpretation / Description

Avalokiteshvara, Chaturbhuja - Standing (Tibetan: chen re zi, chag shi pa. English: the All Seeing Lord with Four Hands), the bodhisattva of compassion from the Terma, Revealed Treasure lineage known as the Longchen Nyingtig, of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism as recorded by Jigme Lingpa (1729-1798). (See the Longchen Nyingtig Outline Page).

White and peaceful, he holds upraised a bead mala and a white lotus blossom. The main pair of hands placed at the heart cradle a wishing jewel. In a standing posture encircled by radiant light he is accompanied by four wrathful male deities and four peaceful, or semi-peaceful, female deities.

At the top center is the Buddha Amitabha with Padmapani Avalokiteshvara below. At the left is Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche and on the right is the Dharma King Trisong Detsen. Slightly below on the left is the great Longchenpa and on the right his spiritual heir Jigme Lingpa.

At the bottom center is the wrathful protector Rahula with Ekajati on the left and Dorje Legpa on the right.

Jeff Watt 5-2000

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