Tangka Paintings
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#17486
- Textile tangka
- Length: 25.50 inch
- Width: 18.00 inch
- Acquired: Chango, Kunawar, Himachal Pradesh, India
- Koelz number: K551
Description
Padmasambhava. A great tantric teacher, Padmasambhava brought Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century. He is depicted seated on a lotus throne, wearing monastic robes. He is flanked by his two disciples or wives. He wears the distinctive red lotus hat of silk brocade topped by a half-vajra and vulture feather. In his right hand he holds the vajra and in his left the skull cup with the vase of eternal life on it. A thunderbolt (or trident?) rests in the crook of his left arm. Other figures are abbots and lamas. Koelz believed this was one of the oldest tangkas in the collection.