Buddhist Deities and Art

Richly colored religious paintings of Buddhist figures like Tara and Manjushri, showcasing intricate details and symbolism in Tibetan and Mongolian traditions.

religious painting in monastery, pemyangtse, sikkim, Copyright: xAshaxAdatia/DinodiaxPhotox

Tara (Sanskrit: ारा, tārā) or Ārya Tārā, also known as Jetsun Dolma (Tibetan: Rje btsun sgrol ma) in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in the Mahayana tradition who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the 'mother of liberation', and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements. In Japan she is known as Tarani Bosatsu, and less well known as Tuoluo in Chinese Buddhism. Tara is a tantric meditation deity whose practice is used by practitioners of the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddhism to develop certain inner qualities and understand outer, inner and secret teachings about compassion and emptiness. Tara is actually the generic name for a set of Buddhas or bodhisattvas of similar aspect. These may more properly be understood as different aspects of the same quality, as bodhisattvas are often considered metaphoric for Buddhist virtues.

'Bodhisattva Manjushri'. Mongolia, 19th century. Dimensions: 60x38 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

'Hayagriva with his Retinue'. Tibet, Early 19th century. Dimensions: 66x46 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

religious painting in monastery, pemyangtse, sikkim, Copyright: xAshaxAdatia/DinodiaxPhotox

Shri (Palden Lhamo). Central Tibet, circa 1750-1850. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth

'Vajrapani with his Retinue'. Tibet, Early 19th century. Dimensions: 73x48 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

'A painting on the core pillar of the Pagoda at the Daigoji Monastery', c13th century. Artist: Unknown.

The Fifth Dalai Lama, NgawangLobzang

Thanka with Buddha 19th century Tibet. Thanka with Buddha. Tibet. 19th century. Distemper on cloth. Paintings

Nepal, Katmandu. Thanka Treasure

Scroll Painting (Thangka) with Four Mandalas 1400-1500. Each of these four mandalas, or ritual diagrams, represents a sacred space.

Yidam Mahakala, protector of Dharma, 19th cent. Wear skulls- symbols of power, manuscript. TIBET.

The Arhat Chudapantaka. Eastern Tibet, Kham region, a Trungpa Monastery in Surmang (), circa early 17th century. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on silk

wall painting of lord buddha, stok monastery, ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, india Copyright: xNxSharma/DinodiaxPhotox

fine arts, Tibet, painting, Thangka, Dhyani Buddhas, silk, 18th/19th century, Ethnological Collection, Zuerich University,

Buddhist trinity of Vairocana, Manjusri and Samantabhadra, late 16th-17th century, 90 13/16 x 33 3/4 in. (230.66 x 85.73 cm) (image, and text)121 3/8 x 37 in. (308.29 x 93.98 cm) (without roller), Ink, colors, and gold on silk, China, 16th-17th century, This painting depicts Buddha Vairocana seated on a lotus-flower throne in heaven. Buddha Vairocana is an iconic figure in Mahayana, one of the major branches of Buddhism. He is seen as a universal Buddha and the matrix from which all phenomena emerge. On either side are Buddha Vairocanas typical attendants, the bodhisattvas of wisdom and benevolence: Manjusri, on a lion, and Samantabhadra, on a six-tusked elephant. A bodhisattva is a being that is able to reach enlightenment but delays doing so to help those suffering on earth. In China, this group of three is known as the Three Saints of Huayan and is described in the influential Flower Garland sutra (scripture), so called because the Buddhas enlightenment is like a floral crown, or

Bodhisatva a descendant of Amida, woodcut, Japan. Japanese Civilisation, Fujiwara period, 10th-11th century.

Avalokiteshvara and Deities , late 18th-early 19th century. Watercolors and gold on cotton, 40 x 63 3/4 in. (101.7 x 162.0 cm). Asian Art late 18th-early 19th century

The Pure Land of Buddha Amitabha. Tangut State of the Western Xia (982-1227). Khara-Khoto. 12th century. Tangka; colours on cotton. The State Hermitage Museum. Saint Petersburg. Russia.

GAURDIAN OF THE SOUTH (originally Bon deity), WALL FRESCO to protect gompa (monastery) entrance, LAMAYURU - LADAKH

A dakini (Sanskrit: ḍākinī; Tibetan: khandroma) is a tantric deity described as a female embodiment of enlightened energy. In the Tibetan language, dakini is rendered khandroma which means 'she who traverses the sky' or 'she who moves in space'. Sometimes the term is translated poetically as 'sky dancer' or 'sky walker'. The dakini, in all her varied forms, is an important figure in Tibetan Buddhism. She is so central to the requirements for a practitioner to attain full enlightenment as a Buddha that she appears in a tantric formulation of the Buddhist Three Jewels refuge formula known as the Three Roots. Most commonly she appears as the protector, alongside a guru and yidam (enlightened being). Although dakini figures appear in Hinduism and in the Bön tradition, dakini are particularly prevalent in Vajrayana Buddhism and have been particularly conceived in Tibetan Buddhism where the dakini, generally of volatile or wrathful temperament, act somewhat as a muse for spiritual practice.

Guimet museum. Usnisavijaya is a buddha of longevity in Buddhism. Tibet 18 th Century. Paris. France.

Yong Zin Khon Shogpel: Seventh Abbot of Ngor Monastary 16th century Tibet This painting is one of two in the collection from a set depicting the abbots of Ngor monastery, which follows the teachings of the Sakya school. Tibetan Buddhism assigns exceptional prestige and reverence to abbots, who are seen to be living embodiments of enlightenment. Ngor monastery is famously associated with an important set of mandalas painted by a group of itinerant Nepalese artists shortly after the monasterys foundation in 1429. This tangka is painted in a style predominantly influenced by Nepalese precedents but shows a new awareness of Chinese art, seen in such details as the throne base and the naturalistic treatment of the drapery. The upper registers contain the Sakya order lineage, and the lower show a group of protective and auspicious deities.. Yong Zin Khon Shogpel: Seventh Abbot of Ngor Monastary 37816

The Guardian Generals of the Directions (Lokapalas) Dhritarashtra (East) top and Virudhaka (South) bottom. Eastern Tibet, Kham region, a Trungpa Monastery in Surmang (?), circa early 17th century. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on silk

White Tara, Tibetan thanka, Shedub Choekhor Ling Monastery, Mont Saleve, Haute-Savoie, France, Europe

Guimet museum. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara or Simhanada Avalokiteshvara. China 18 th century. Paris. France.

The Three Purities, one of three, late 16th century, 61 9/16 x 34 1/8 in. (156.37 x 86.68 cm) (image)95 1/8 x 39 3/4 in. (241.62 x 100.97 cm) (without roller), Ink, colors and gold on silk, China, 16th century, These three paintings depict the Three Purities, the supreme deities of religious Daoism, who were identified as the source of all Daoist teachings and as rulers of the Daoist universe. They are painted like enthroned emperors with meticulous detail in the colorful outline style associated with traditional Buddhist painting and court portraiture. Presented are the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning (in blue robe), a teacher and patriarch of the highest scriptural tradition; the Celestial Worthy of the Numinous Treasure (black robe), patron of the second scriptural tradition, the Cavern of Mystery; and the Celestial Worthy of the Way and its Power (green robe), better known as Laozi, patriarch of the third scriptural tradition. Although images of the Three Purities woul

'Yama and the Underworld'. Tibet, Early 20th century. Dimensions: 90x61 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Two-sided Festival Banner. Date/Period: 17th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth. Author: UNKNOWN.

Buddha

Pema Osel Ling Monastery. The wheel of life or the bhavacakra is a symbolic representation of saṃsara. Wall painting..

'Simhavaktra'. Tibet, Early 19th century. Dimensions: 62x44 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Section of Yamantaka Thanka (memorial). Date/Period: 18th century. Ethnological object. Height: 1,200 mm (47.24 in); Width: 640 mm (25.19 in). Author: TIBET.

Thangka painting at Dashchoilon Khiid Monastery

Nepalese tangka

Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha. Tangut State of the Western Xia (982-1227). Khara-Khoto. Late 12th-13th century. Tangka: colours on cotton.The State Hermitage Museum. Saint Petersburg. Russia.

Sakyamuni, Anonymous, 1700 - 1800 Painting on canvas (tangka), a central figure is Sakyamuni. Tibet cotton (textile). dye. ink Painting on canvas (tangka), a central figure is Sakyamuni. Tibet cotton (textile). dye. ink

Wrathful Deity , late 18th-19th century. Hanging scroll, gouache on linen, 9 1/2 x 6 1/2 in. (24.1 x 16.5 cm). Asian Art late 18th-19th century

Eleven-Headed, Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva of Compassion (Avalokiteshvara), c. 1500. Western Tibet. Opaque watercolor and ink on cotton; overall: 94.6 x 69.2 cm (37 1/4 x 27 1/4 in.).

Mural of Buddhist guardian on hotel door, Ulan Baatar, Mongolia

Buddha the Healer/ The Buddha of Healing. Pracownia przyklasztorna, painter

Thangka with Bejeweled Buddha Preaching, 1648. Nepal. Color on cloth; overall: 109.5 x 82.5 cm (43 1/8 x 32 1/2 in.).

Atiśa Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna (Bengali: তীশ দীপঙ্কর শ্রীজ্ঞান Ôtish Dipôngkor Srigên, Sanskrit: अतिश दीपङ्कर श्रीज्ञान[ ; Atiśa Dīpaṃkara- śrījñāna; Chinese: 燃燈吉祥智; pinyin: Rándēng Jíxiángzhì) (980-1054 CE) was a Buddhist teacher from the Pala Empire in Bengal. Atisa was one of the major figures in the spread of 11th-century Mahayana Buddhism in Asia and inspired Buddhist thought from Tibet to Sumatra. Revered as one of the great figures of classical Buddhism, Atisa was a key figure in the establishment of the Sarma schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Great Renunciation of Siddhartha 20th century Tibet. The Great Renunciation of Siddhartha. Tibet. 20th century. Ink and color on paper. Paintings

Interior of the Garphu monastery, Garphu, Kingdom of Mustang, Nepal, Asia

Sikkim, Gangtok. One of Rumtek Monastery's many brilliantly detailed paintings, Gangtok, Sikkim. (Editorial Usage Only)

Colorful paintings of Buddhist deities in Thiksey Monastery, Thiksey, Leh, Ladakh, India. Colorful paintings of Buddhist deities in Thiksey Monastery, Thiksey, Leh, Ladakh, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 22018001

Buddha Sakyamuni with Maudgalyayana and Sariputra. unknown, painter

White Tara. Date/Period: 19th century. Painting. Ground mineral pigment on cotton Ground mineral pigment on cotton. Height: 749.30 mm (29.50 in); Width: 536.70 mm (21.12 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Tsakli miniature with a presentation of a white tary (); 19th century (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);

Amitabha in the Western Paradise , late 15th century. Color and gold on cloth, Image: 26 1/2 x 22 in. Asian Art late 15th century

Paradise of Bhaisajyaguru. Date/Period: 7th century - 8th century. Silk Painting. Height: 1,190 mm (46.85 in); Width: 1,175 mm (46.25 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Zwój malarski thangka z wizerunkiem lamajskiego bóstwa Palden Lhamo (Śri Devi). unknown, painter

ASOKA, ruler of India Buddhist, noted for his edicts

Tangka with Buddha 19th century Tibet. Tangka with Buddha. Tibet. 19th century. Distemper on cloth. Paintings

The Yulin Caves are a Buddhist cave temple complex in Guazhou County, Gansu Province, China. The site is located some 100 km east of the oasis town of Dunhuang and the Mogao Caves. It takes its name from the eponymous elm trees lining the Yulin River, which flows through the site and separates the two cliffs from which the caves have been excavated. The forty-two caves house some 250 polychrome statues and 4,200 square metres of wall paintings, dating from the Tang Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty (7th to 14th centuries). The site was among the first in China to be designated for protection in 1961 as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site. In 2008 the Yulin Grottoes were submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Chinese Section of the Silk Road.

The Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungtang Dewa chhenbi Phodrang ('the palace of great happiness or bliss') was built in 1637 - 1638 by the 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche and founder of the Bhutanese state, Ngawang Namgyal (1594 - 1651). It is the second largest and second oldest dzong (fortress) in Bhutan, located at the confluence of the Pho Chhu (father) and Mo Chhu (mother) rivers in the Punakha-Wangdue valley. Punakha Dzong is the administrative centre of Punakha District, and once acted as the administrative centre and the seat of Bhutan's government until 1855, when the capital was moved to Thimphu, though it still acts as the winter capital for the head of the Bhutanese clergy. It houses sacred relics from the southern Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Mikyö Dorje (1507-1554), also Mikyo Dorje, was the eighth Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. Mikyö Dorje was born in Satam, Kham. According to the legend, he said after being born: 'I am Karmapa', and was recognized by Tai Situpa. In this case there was another child from Amdo who also claimed to be Karmapa. Gyaltsab Rinpoche, the regent of the region, thought of a test to decide who was the real Karmapa. This was the first time that a test was used to determine a reincarnation. Later this became the standard method for all major lamas. Mikyö Dorje left numerous Buddhist writings on Madhyamaka, Abidharma, Tantric and Mahamudra texts, poetry (verses of profound wisdom) and even linguistics. He introduced special Guru yoga in four sessions, which is very basic for Karma Kagyu today. He was also a skillful painter and metal craftsman producing many famous thangkas and statues.

Mandala Ichiji Kinrin (One-Syllable Golden Wheel). unknown, painter

A Buddha with a Pancharaksha Goddess, Folio from a Pancharaksha (The Five Protective Charms). Nepal, late 18th century. Manuscripts. Opaque watercolor and ink on paper

wall painting at hemis gompa the most famous and rich gompa built in 17th century, leh, ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, india Copyright: xSunilxKapadia/DinodiaxPhotox

Tibetan fresco of a Bodhisattva covered with gold leaf, Hemis Monastery, Ladakh, Indian Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir, northern India, India, Asia

'Buddha Amitabha () and Two Bodhisattvas'. China, Tangut State of Xi -Xia, Khara-Khoto, 13th - 14th century. Dimensions: 46x33 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Mural painting, Likir Monastery or Likir Gompa, Ladakh, India, Asia

The Dhyani Buddha Amitabha. Chromolithograph.

wall painting, likir monastery, ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, india Copyright: xRxMakharia/DinodiaxPhotox

Jama protective deity; 19th century (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);Himalayan (culture), Art of Tibetan Buddhism, Himalayan art, Mongolian art, purchase (provenance)

Taishakuten one of a set of Twelve Devas, 14th-15th century, Unknown Japanese, 38 x 15 1/2 in. (96.52 x 39.37 cm), Ink, color, gold, and cut gold leaf (kirikane) on silk, Japan, 14th-15th century

Folio from a Buddhist Manuscript of Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita ca. 1090 India (Bengal) or Bangladesh. Folio from a Buddhist Manuscript of Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita 37977

The Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves (Bozikeli Qian Fo Dong) are complex of Buddhist cave grottos dating from the 5th to the 9th centuries. There are 77 rock-cut caves at the site. Some ceilings are painted with a large Buddha surrounded by other figures, including Indians, Persians and Europeans. The quality of the murals vary with some being artistically naive while others are masterpieces of religious art.

Mandala of the Sannō Shrine Deities 17th century Japan This mandala gives concrete visual expression to the Japanese Buddhist concept of original ground and flowing traces” (honji-suijaku) in which Japanese deities, known as kami, are considered to be manifestations (flowing traces”) of Buddhist deities (original ground”). The concept satisfied the desire of early medieval Japanese Buddhists to reconcile preexisting kami worship with the Buddhist tradition. Here, in an early premodern iteration of the theme, the seven kami of the Upper Sannō shrines are depicted in their original Buddhist forms along with three kami from the Middle Sannō shrines along the bottom. The Sannō (literally, "mountain king") shrine complex is situated in the eastern foothills of Mt. Hiei, northeast of Kyoto, overlooking Lake Biwa. The name refers to the tutelary kami of the Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei, where Saichō (767-822), founder of the Tendai School of Buddhism, established his headquarters.. Mandala

Ritual miniature tsakali with the imagination of the deity - guard Begtsse; 19th century (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);

Bhutan, Lhuentse Dzong, Erotic mandala of Tshokey Dorji in the entrance to the Monastery.

Japan: Senju Kannon (Sahasrabhuja, 'Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara'), hanging scroll, painting on silk, Heian Period (12th Century), Tokyo National Museum

Mandala in Rinchepung Dzong, Parlo, Bhutan Artist Unknown Asian

The Buddha of Unshakable Resolve (Akshobhya) in His Eastern Paradise (Abhirati). Western Tibet, Guge, 15th century. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth

Miniatura rytualna tsakali z wyobrażeniem żeńskiego bóstwa Palden Lhamo (Śri Devi). unknown, painter

Painting of Green Tara, Buddhist symbol of prosperity, Kopan monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Mandala of Pure Earth / Jodo Mandara unknown

Painted wall, Buddha figures, Tashilhunpo Monastery, Shigatse, Tibet, China, Asia

Portrait of Munchen Sangye Rinchen, the Eighth Abbot of Ngor Monastery late 16th century Tibet This tangka belongs to a set of portraits entitled the Path with the Fruit Gurus and Ngor Abbots.” Munchen Sangye Rinchen, the abbot of Ngor monastery (1513-16), holds a book and sits on a lion throne under a lobed arch studded with lotus buds. Immediately above is the Buddha attaining enlightenment, accompanied by additional Buddhist deities and patriarchs of the Sakya monastic lineage. In the lower register are red and blue wrathful protective deities and the four lokapalas, or guardian kings, shown in yellow. During this abbot’s tenure, the monastery was at the zenith of its power, holding political control over the Ü and Tsang provinces of central and western Tibet.. Portrait of Munchen Sangye Rinchen, the Eighth Abbot of Ngor Monastery 37817

Tantric Buddha Vairochana as Vajrasattva, c. 1150-1200. Central Tibet. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on cloth; overall: 111 x 73 cm (43 11/16 x 28 3/4 in.).

Amita Buddha Preaching Korean. Amita Buddha Preaching, early 19th century. Hanging scroll: color on cloth, Overall: 86 1/2 × 35 1/2 in. (219.7 × 90.2 cm). Asian Art early 19th century

The Buddha Aksobhya surrounded by six hundred and ten replicas of himself. Distemper painting by a Tibetan painter.

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara with 1000 hands and 1000 eyes, painting on silk, c.983 AD, Song Dynasty, from caves at Mogao (Gansu), Dunhuang, detail

The Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Image from a Set of Initiation Cards (Tsakali). Southern Tibet. Date: 1301-1500. Dimensions: 16 x 14.5 cm (6 1/4 x 5 3/4 in.). Ink and watercolor on paper. Origin: Tibet. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

'Guhyasadhana Hayagriva'. Tibet, 18th century. Dimensions: 46x36,5 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Tenth Shamarpa, Mipam Chodrup Gyatso (1742-1792). Date/Period: 19th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Height: 635 mm (25 in); Width: 406.40 mm (16 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Tibetan thankas, (Buddhist temple paintings) - they were painted by different lama artists employed by the Norwegian missionary Theo Sorensen and came to the museum in 1922. The thankas with their rich iconography present Buddhist teaching and dogmas, both systematically and historically from Buddha's time to the development of Tibetan variation.

Sera Monastery. Along Sera's kora, or pilgrimage circuit, a monk bows before a rock-painted image of Yama Dharmaraja, a bull-headed protector deity favoured by the Gelugpa school. Behind rises a slender building from which a giant thangka, or religious painting, is unfurled during festivals.

Dragon embroidery inside Tagong Monastery, Tagong, western Sichuan, China

The Bodhisattva Monju (Manjushri) with Five Topknots 13th century Japan This variant form of the bodhisattva Monju, a deity associated with wisdom, is called Monju with Five Topknots (Gokei Monju). Imagined as a boy sitting cross-legged on a lotus pedestal, he holds his usual attributes: a sword and sacred text. A pair of Sanskrit letters above him stands for Dainichi, the buddha at the center of the Buddhist cosmos.. The Bodhisattva Monju (Manjushri) with Five Topknots. Japan. 13th century. Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk. Kamakura period (1185-1333). Paintings

Maitreya, in Tibetan Jampa, the Buddha to come. Chromolithograph.

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Leh. Colorful fresco-like images of the Buddha dot the rocky hills above Old Leh and serve as devotional offerings or informal shrines for the local Buddhist population.

The Arhat Vajraputra. Artist: Unidentified Artist Sino-Tibetan, 15th century. Culture: Tibet. Dimensions: Image: 32 x 20 in. (81.3 x 50.8 cm). Date: 15th century.Tibetan Buddhism, imported in China by Mongol rulers in the thirteenth century, enjoyed further patronage from fifteenth-century emperors of the early Ming period. This work vividly demonstrates how hieratic Tibetan imagery was transformed under Chinese influence into a more naturalistic style, witnessed most strongly in the Sinicized treatment of landscapes. This painting, originally part of a set depicting the sixteen arhats (Buddhist saints), portrays Vajraputra, his hand raised in the teaching gesture (vitarkamudra), expounding dharma to a devotee. Tibetan inscriptions appear on the lower left margin and on the reverse. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Thailand, Ayuthaya, Wat Suwan Daram, Close-up of beautifully detailed murals

In Tibetan Buddhism, Dorje Pakmo (pronounced 'Dorje Phakmo'; Sanskrit: Vajravarahi, a form of Vajrayogini; Wylie Tibetan script transliteration: Rdo-rje phag-mo; English: 'The Diamond Sow'), also known as Sera Kandro, is believed to be the reincarnation of the consort of the wrathful deity Demchok (Heruka). She is the highest female incarnation in Tibet and the third-highest ranking person in the Lamaist hierarchy after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. She was listed among the highest-ranking reincarnations at the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama, recognized by the Tibetan government and acknowledged by the emperors of Qing China. Her seat, Samding (literally, 'the temple of soaring meditation') was in many ways unique in that about half of the inhabitants were monks and the other half were nuns, while the head of the monastery with all its branches was (and still is) a woman. It is a Geluk Ani gompa (or nunnery) - which also housed some monks - and is built on a hill on a peninsula ju

Vajradhara, Nairatmya, and Mahasiddhas Virupa and Kanha, c. 1450. Central Tibet, Ngor monastery. Gum tempera and gold on cotton; framed: 74.8 x 59.8 cm (29 7/16 x 23 9/16 in.); overall: 57.5 x 50.2 cm (22 5/8 x 19 3/4 in.).

Yantra of Panchanguli. India, Rajasthan, Dilwara (), circa 1425. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on cotton

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