The Pancha Raksha are a set of five 'Dharani' goddesses found in Buddhist Tantric literature. There are many different iconographic variations of their forms. Individually they can be very difficult to identify precisely.
A number of Densatil sculpture have unique square thrones beneath the double or single lotus base.
A number of Densatil sculpture have unique round thrones beneath the double or single lotus base.
The Painting Annotation Main Page has been updated with additional images.
A gallery has been created for the Rubin Museum of Art collection of Densatil Sculpture.
The Sculpture Annotation Main Page has been updated with double the number of previous images.
A Sage of Long Life Page has been added to the Masterworks Main Page.
The Durga Masterworks Page has been updated with additional images.
The Warrior Goddess is the fearsome - demon destroying - form of the Daughter of the Himalayas, Parvati. Although she has many different origin myths associating her with different gods such as Brahma, Vishnu and Krishna, her relationship with Shiva and Parvati is popular in the Himalayan regions. According to chapter 38 of the Garuda Purana (10th-12th c.) Durga can have twenty-eight, eighteen, twelve, eight or four arms. Two lists of eighteen hand attributes are named in chapter 38 but neither of these lists accurately describe the many eighteen armed Nepalese sculpture of Durga. Other forms of Durga with ten and six arms are also commonly found.
The Densatil Sculpture Page has been updated with additional images and links.
A Sculpture Sets Main Page has been added with a short list of easily recognized sculpture sets. More sets will be added as they are identified.
The Four Guardian Kings, as a sculpture or painting set, would belong to the larger commission of Shakyamuni Buddha and the Sixteen Arhats or an even larger set such as the Fifty-one Deity Mandala of Medicine Buddha. It is unlikely that the Four Kings would ever be created by themselves, alone, without a greater context.
The three images in this gallery belong to a Chakrasamvara Lineage. It is believed that most of the sculpture still resides at Ngor Monastery with a few of the pieces missing.
A set of early Kagyu teachers, Marpa and Milarepa, in red sandalwood have been reunited. It is not known how many pieces are in the complete set.
These two sculpture of Vajradhara and Nairatmya most likely belong to a much larger set of images depicting the Sakya Lamdre (margapala) Lineage of teachers.
These three Vajradhara Sculpture appear to have been made in the same Tibetan workshop at approximately the same time. The style of the sculpture in general follows that of Tsang Province where incising is popular and gilding less common. Note the similarities in the shape and structure of the faces, ornamentation, and double lotus base.
It is also possible that these three Vajradharas are the first figures in sets of the Sakya Margapala (Lamdre) Lineage.
A gallery for the Thirty-five Confession Buddhas has been added to the Masterworks Page.
A gallery for the red Lokeshvara with four arms, Jinasagara, has been added to the Masterworks Page.
A gallery for the vajra holder, god of thunder and storms, Indra (Shakra) has been added to the Masterworks Page.
A gallery for the Chinese God Guan Yu has been added to the Masterworks Page.
A gallery for the Five Personal Gods (Five Gods of the Head) has been added to the Masterworks Page.
