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This is a nearly complete set of 108 mandala paintings in an Lhasa art style of the Menri tradition dating to the late 18th century. One painting is missing, so the total number is 107. Within this set, there is a complex program of overlapping iconographic systems of mandalas, deities and teaching lineages.

The mandalas belong to the iconographic collection of 108 Mandalas known as the Mitra Gyatsa. However, 43 of these 108 mandalas were also transmitted from India to Tibet in a collection known as the Vajravali, through a separate teaching lineage. In this set, the first 43 paintings are ordered sequentially according to the Vajravali system.

Contents List:

Vajravali Mandalas:
The deities surrounding the Vajravali mandalas come from the iconographic collection called the An Ocean of Methods of Accomplishment (sgrub thab rgya mtsho), from Mandala 1 to 34.

When this list of deities ends, the surrounding deities in Mandala 34 to 43 do not follow any iconographic collection and are instead based on preference of the patron, for example they include the 13 Golden Dharmas of the Sakya tradition.

1. 19-deity Guhyasamaja Manjuvajra Starting with this painting, the deities surrounding each mandala are from the Drub thab gyatso.
2. 32-deity Guhyasamaja Aksobhyavajra
3. 43-deity Guhyasamaja Manjuvajra
4. 13-deity Krishna Yamari Manjuvajra
5. 9-deity 'Essence' Hevajra.
6. 9-deity 'Mind' Hevajra.
7. 9-deity 'Speech' Hevajra.
8. 9-deity 'Body' Hevajra.
9. 53 Deity Hevajra, Panjarnata Panchadaka Kula
10. 23-deity Nairatmya
11. 15-deity Nairatmya
12. 15-deity Kurukulla
13. 11-deity Vajra Tara
14. 17-deity 'Essence' Hevajra Shastradhara
15. 17-deity 'Mind' Hevajra Shastradhara
16. 17-deity 'Speech' Hevajra Shastradhara
17. 17-deity 'Body' Hevajra Shastradhara
18. 37-deity Vajrasattva Samputa
19. 62-deity Chakrasamvara
20. 62-deity Chakrasamvara Nila (Blue)
21. 62-deity Chakrasamvara Pita (Golden)
22. 37-deity Red Vajravarahi (Rakta)
23. 37-deity Blue Vajravarahi (Nila)
24. 37-deity Golden Vajravarahi (Pita)
25. 11-deity Humkara
26. 62-Deity, Shatchakravarti Samvara.
27. 21-deity Vajramrita Mandala
28. 21-deity Amrita Krodha Mandala,
29. 13-deity Amritakundalin
30. 25-deity Buddhakapala
31. 9-deity Buddhakapala
32. 5-deity Mahamaya
33. 58-deity Yogambara Mandala
34. 13-deity Jnanadakini The surrounding deities from the Drub thab gyatso list ends here.

35. Kalachakra Kaya Vak Chitta, 634 Deity
36. 53-deity Vajradhatu Vairocana
37. 37 deity Navusnisa Sakyamuni
38. 119 Deity Dharmadatu Vagishvara Manjushri
39. 34-deity Bhutadamara Vajrapani
40. 25-deity Marichi
41. 13 deity Pancharaksha
42. 21 deity Grahamatrika
43. 33-deity Usnishavijaya

Correct order of remaining Mitra Gyatsa Mandalas:
Note: This order is of the painting set itself, not according to the mandala order in the original iconographic compendium. The order alternates between categories of Mandalas.

The remaining 64 mandalas of the Mitra Gyatsa are ordered according to a different program where there is a central painting (205443), and all the even numbered paintings would have been to the proper right of the central painting, and all the odd numbered paintings would have been to its proper left.

All the Father class Tantras and and about the first half of the Yoga Tantras have been given even-numbered ordination. All the Samvara, Mother and Varahi class Tantras have been given odd-numbered ordination. When the whole painting set was displayed, this meant that all the Father tantras were on the right, all the Mother tantras were on the left, etc. Then the remaining Yoga and Kriya tantras follow, without alternating.

The deities surrounding these 64 mandalas come from three iconographic collections.
The first is the One Hundred Methods of Accomplishment (sgrub thabs rgya tsa), which is a deity list adapted from the Bari Gyatsa. From Mandala 44 to 64.

The second is the An Ocean of Methods of Accomplishment (sgrub thab rgya mtsho). From Mandala 64 to 94.

The third collection is the Nartang Gyatsa.From Mandala 94 to 105.

The final two paintings have no iconographic program surrounding the mandala, the surrounding deities are wisdom and worldly protectors instead.

The correct ordering of these 64 paintings is based on the deities surrounding the mandalas, not the typical ordering of the mandalas themselves within the Mitra Gyatsa. For example, deity number 4 from the Drub Thab Gyatsa appears in the first Father class mandala, and deity number 5 appears in the first Mother class mandala, rather than the second Father class mandala.

44. Jinasagara Center
45. Krishna Yamari Right 1 The start of the 'Father' class Anuttarayoga Tantras
46. 29-deity White Cakrasamvara Left 1 The start of the Samvara Anuttarayoga Tantras
47. 9-deity Rakta Yamari R2
48.13 deity Chakrasamvara L2
49.9-Deity Vajrabhairava R3
50.5-deity Sahaja Samvara L3
51.17-deity Vajrabhairava R4
52.9-deity White Cakrasamvara, Tilopa tradition L4
53. 9 deity Vajrabhairava, HerukaR5
54. 8-deity Chakrasamvara, Advayavajra traditionL5, The end of the Samvara Anuttarayoga Tantras
55.14 deity Mahacakra Vajrapani R6,
56. 13 deity Vajravarahi with three faces, six handsL6, The start of the Varahi Anuttarayoga Tantras
57.17-deity Hayagriva Padmanartesvara R7, The end of the 'Father' class Anuttarayoga Tantras
58.13 deity Vajravarahi, one face, two hands L7
59.13 deity Akshobhya R8
60. 13 deity Sarvarthasiddhi VajravarahiL8
61.105 deity Sarvavid Vairocana R9
62. 13 deity Chinnamasta Vajravarahi L9
63. 13 deity Amitayus R10
64.13 deity Vajravarahi, Naropa tradition L10
This is the last painting with Drub thab gyatsa deities. The deities surrounding each mandala now changes to the Drub thab gyatso list.

65. 13 deity White, Peaceful Vajrapani R11
66. 9 Deity Maitri Khechara L11
67. 138-deity Vajrapani, Chakravartin R12
68. 37 Deity Vajravarahi, Four Faces L12
69. 17-deity Vajra Jvalanalarka R13
70.5 Deity Krodhakali, Black Vajravarahi L13, The end of the Varahi Anuttarayoga Tantras
71. 23-deity Vajrapani with Direction Guardians R14
72. 5 Deity Mahamaya L14
73. 45 deity Vajrapani R15
74. Single-Deity Mahamaya L15
75. 13 deity Vajrapani with Eight Nagas R16
76. 21-deity Tara, Suryagupta tradition L16
77. 57-deity Vairochana Trailokyavijaya R17
78. 57 deity Sarvarthasiddhi Vairochana L17
79. 57-deity Sarvajagadvinaya Vairochana R18
80. 61-Deity Paramadya Vajrasattva L18
81. 53 Deity Manjughosa Vilasavajra R19
82. Unidentified L19
83. 21 Deity Manjughosa R20
84. 64-deity Prajnaparamita L20
85. 101-Deity Sarvavid Vairocana R21
86. 17 deity Vajrasattva L21
87. 17-deity Vajrapani, Sugatigarbha tradition R22
88. 13 deity Sarasvati L22
89. 5-deity Parnashavari R23
90. 29 deity Sitatapatra L23
91. 9 deity Ushnisavijaya R24
92. 9 deity Jambhala L24
93. 35 deity Shakyamuni R25
94. 5 deity White Manjusri L25.
This is the last painting with Drub thab gyatso deities. The deities surrounding each mandala now changes to the Narthang gyatsa list. Additionally, after this point, the paintings no longer alternate between right and left.

95. 5-deity Amoghapasha
96. 17-deity Hayagriva
97. 23-deity Vajravidarana
98. Single-deity Vajrapani, three face, six hands
99. 13 deity Mahakarunika Avalokiteshvara
100. 5 Deity Simhanada Lokeshvara
101. 11 Deity Achala
102. 9 Deity Vajrapani
103. Single deity Nilambhara Vajrapani
104. 13 deity Vajrapani with one face, four hands
105. 5 deity, "Stupa" Vajrapani
106. Five Deity "Garuda" Vajrapani
107. 9 deity Chaturbhuja Mahakala

Teaching Lineages:
At the top center of Mandalas 1 to 52, different teaching lineages are depicted.
The Vajravali transmission lineage. From mandala 1 to 11, from 1. Vajradhara to 11. Dolpo Sherab Gyaltsen.

A Vajrayogini transmission lineage, beginning at mandala 12, the final teacher is unidentified.

A Kriyasamuccaya tranmission lineage, the beginning is unidentified, but it ends at mandala 32, depciting Belpo Mahabodhi, the Nepali teacher of Sabzang Phagpa Zhonnu Lodro. The teacher Sabzang Phagpa Zhonnu Lodro combined the three previous lineages, he is depicted in Mandala 33.

The next teacher is Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo(1382 -1456) in mandala 34, and his Kriyasamuccaya lineage continues until Gonpo Sonam Chogdan (1603-1659) in mandala 43.

Next, in the Mitra Gyatsa mandalas section, from mandala 44 to 52, is the Mitra Gyatsa teaching lineage which ends with the 7th Dalai Lama, indicating that this painting was created in the reign of the 8th Dalai Lama.

Nick Dharmadi, 7-2026