Buddhist Deities and Thangkas

A collection of intricate thangka paintings depicting various Buddhist deities, showcasing vibrant colors, detailed iconography, and spiritual themes, primarily from Tibetan and Chinese traditions.

Tibetan god, watercolor on silk, 17th century, New York, Central Asian Art Rubin Museum of Art, 75, 5x57, 7

'Avalokiteshvara Shadakshari with his Retinue'. Tibet, Late 18th - early 19th century. Dimensions: 51,5x35 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Mahamayuri Vidyaraja 916 CE-1125 China. Ink and colors on cotton (framed) .

Painted Banner (Thangka) of Bodhisattva Maitreya Surrounded by his Retinue 1501-1600 Tibet. The bodhisattva Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, and the successor of Shakyamuni Buddha, is identifiable by the tiny, gold waterpot perched on the lotus near his shoulder at right. He is flanked by two other bodhisattvas; the green one is Vajrapani and the golden one is most likely Manjusri. Collectively, these three deities represent Shakyamuni Buddhaís virtues Maitreya is the manifestation of his compassion, Manjusri is the manifestation of his wisdom; and Vajrapani is the manifestation of his power. Most of the deities in the margins form part of the bodhisattvaís retinue. The monk who officiated at the thangkaís consecration is at lower right in white.. Opaque watercolor and gold on cotton .

TAPIZ DE SEDA ESTILO TARTARO. Location: PRIVATE COLLECTION. MADRID. SPAIN. BUDDHA. VAIROCANA.

Tibetan god, watercolor on silk, 17th century, New York, Central Asian Art Rubin Museum of Art, 75, 5x57, 7

Amitabha Buddha in his Paradise , 19th century. Hanging scroll, opaque watercolors on sized cotton, 68 7/8 x 37 3/8 in. (175 x 95 cm). Asian Art 19th century

Buddhist Protector Mahakala as Four-Faced(Chaturbhuja)

'Life of Buddha Sakyamuni'. Tibet, Late 18th century. Dimensions: 68x52 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

White; 19th century (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);Biała Tara (iconogr.), Himalayan (culture), Art of Tibetan Buddhism, Himalayan art, Mongolian art, purchase (provenance)

Vajrapani, also known as Vajrasattva in Mahayana Buddhism, is one of the earliest of the bodhisattvas, and acts as the guide and protector of Gautama Buddha. In Mahayana Buddhism he is one of the earliest Dharmapalas (wrathful gods), and he is also acknowledged as a deity in the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. He is directly worshipped in Tibetan Buddhism, and is extensively represented in Buddhist iconography.

Buddha Shakyamuni as "Lord of the Munis" mid-17th century Western Tibet (Guge) Buddha Shakyamuni holds a begging bowl and gestures to the earth to witness his awakening. His golden complexion evokes his transcendent nature, and the patchwork robe indicates his non-attachment. He meditates upon a radiating lotus and is attended by the adoring figures of the bodhisattvas Maitreya (holding a flask) and Manjushri (a sword). Shakyamunis status as a cosmic Buddha is indicated by the rows of Buddhas that occupy the upper registers and the sixteen arhats that surround the lotus throne. In the lowest register are three seated monks flanked by the four guardian kings (lokapala). At lower left sits the officiating lama, likely the patron of this painting named in the inscription as Lobzang Dondrup. Stylistically, this western Tibetan work may be associated with Tsaparang, Tholing, and Tabo monasteries.. Buddha Shakyamuni as "Lord of the Munis". Western Tibet (Guge). mid-17th century. Distemper o

Mahakala Panjarnata (Lord of the Pavilion). Central Tibet, Ngor Monastery, circa 1700. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth

The Putuo Zongcheng Temple is a Qing Dynasty era Buddhist temple complex built between 1767 and 1771, during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796). The temple was modeled after the Potala Palace of Tibet, the old sanctuary of the Dalai Lama built a century earlier. In 1703, Chengde was chosen by the Kangxi Emperor as the location for his summer residence. Constructed throughout the eighteenth century, the Mountain Resort was used by both the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors. The site is currently an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the seat of government followed the emperor, Chengde was a political center of the Chinese empire during these times. Chengde, formerly known as Jehol, reached its height under the Qianlong Emperor 1735-1796 (died 1799). The great monastery temple of the Potala, loosely based on the famous Potala in Lhasa, was completed after just four years of work in 1771. It was heavily decorated with gold and the emperor worshipped in the Golden Pavilion. In the

Tantric Buddhist deity Samantabhadra yabyum in a Tibetan Monastery in Dabpa County, Kham - Sichuan Province, China, (Tibet)

Buddhistic Painting Buddhistic Painting, 1392-1573. Ink and polychrome color on paper, 13 x 9 1/2 in. (33 x 24.1 cm). Asian Art 1392-1573

Avalokiteshvara as Shadakshari-Lokeshvara late 15th century Tibet This painting represents the six-syllables form” of Avalokiteshvara, evoking the mantra om mani padme hum. Surrounding him are bodhisattvas, an array of protectors, and a lineage of monks. This manifestation of Avalokiteshvara is especially associated with the Dalai Lama, who is understood as an incarnation of this form. Sadaksari-Lokeshvara is conventionally white, though here is represented all gold, the most radiant of colors.. Avalokiteshvara as Shadakshari-Lokeshvara 37800

Bhutan, Religious painting

Embroidery: Yama and Consort, 18th-19th century. Tibet, 18th-19th century. Embroidery, silk; overall: 90.2 x 66 cm (35 1/2 x 26 in.).

Tchenrezig thangka at Vajradhara-Ling

Green Tara, Buddhist symbol of prosperity, Kopan monastery, Bhaktapur, Nepal, Asia

LEH, INDIA, SEPTEMBER 4, 2011: Wall paintings of Buddha in Tsemo gompa Buddhist monastery. Leh, Ladakh, India, Asia

Tchenrezig thangka at Vajradhara_Ling, Aubry_le_Panthou, Orne, France, Europe

Tangka late 18th century Tibet. Tangka. Tibet. late 18th century. Distemper on cloth. Paintings

Initiation Card (Tsakalis): Amoghasiddhi. Culture: Tibet. Dimensions: Each 6 1/4 x 5 3/4 in. (16 x 14.5 cm). Date: early 15th century.Tsakali cards were used by itinerant teachers moving from one monastery to another in order to evoke Vajrayana Buddhist deities. When laid on the ground in the form of a mandala, as seen here, they functioned to create a fixed sacred space like that of a temple. The deities shown on these initiation cards include the Tathagata Buddhas, various bodhisattvas, fierce protectors, and the six possible realms of rebirth seen across the bottom. They probably were made by a Nepali artist for a Tibetan patron of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.Tsakali cards were used individually to align a disciple with a deity from the vast pantheon. First, the disciple sought permission from the deity, either through a dream or under the guidance of a teacher. The associated ritual involved visualizing the deity as described in recited mantras (incantations) and with

'Gyun mthong Rdo Rje dpal'. Tibet, Early 18th century. Dimensions: 63x40 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Japan: The vidyaraja or 'Wisdom King' Kujaku Myoo (Mahamayuri). Painting on silk, hanging scroll, Heian Period (12th Century), Tokyo National Museum

Three Buddhist teachers. unknown, painter

Eleven-headed bodhisattva Guanyin 1778 China The central figure in this magnificent embroidery is eleven-headed Guanyin, one of many manifestations of the compassionate bodhisattva. The eleven heads symbolize steps on the path to enlightenment. This hanging illustrates the highest achievement of imperial Qing embroidery works of the eighteenth century. The embroidery features elaborate details. These include one thousand arms encircling Guanyins body with an eye in the center of the palm of each hand. An ink inscription on the objects back panel indicates it was created in 1778 under the third Changkya Khutukhtu (1717-86), a Mongolian Tibetan Buddhist representative at the Qing court.Caption:Inscription on the back in Chinese, Manchurian, Tibetan, and Mongolian: “On the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month of the forty-third year of Qianlong reign [May 20, 1778 the Emperor [Qianlong commanded the Changkya Khutukhtu to supervise this embroidery [of eleven-headed Bodhisattva Guanyi

White Mahakala ca. 18th century Tibet This painting is dedicated to Shadbuja Sita Mahakala, the White Mahakala, a wealth deity invoked widely by Tibetan Buddhists to ensure prosperity. Mahakala is depicted with three wide glaring and fearsome eyes, and six arms wielding power weapons. The wrathful protector is surrounded by an array of auspicious and protective deities, presided over by the five Transcendent Buddhas.. White Mahakala. Tibet. ca. 18th century. Distemper on cotton. Paintings

Initiation Card (Tsakalis): Ratnasambhava early 15th century Tibet Tsakali cards were used by itinerant teachers moving from one monastery to another in order to evoke Vajrayana Buddhist deities. When laid on the ground in the form of a mandala, as seen here, they functioned to create a fixed sacred space like that of a temple. The deities shown on these initiation cards include the Tathagata Buddhas, various bodhisattvas, fierce protectors, and the six possible realms of rebirth seen across the bottom. They probably were made by a Nepali artist for a Tibetan patron of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.Tsakali cards were used individually to align a disciple with a deity from the vast pantheon. First, the disciple sought permission from the deity, either through a dream or under the guidance of a teacher. The associated ritual involved visualizing the deity as described in recited mantras (incantations) and with an imagein this case, the deity represented on the tsakali.The cards

Book of Buddhist Images. Nepal, circa 1800. Books. Opaque watercolor and ink on paper

The Great Wizards' Buddhist Tibetan hanging scroll from 18th century

Tibet, Shigatse, mural painting in the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery

Buddha Shakyamuni and Scenes of His Previous Lives (Jataka Tales) 1573-1619 Tibet This painting depicts a rare subject in Tibetan art, the life of Buddha Shakyamuni and his previous incarnations as told in the Jataka tales. These stories form an essential component of the Buddhist cosmology. This tangka has a Chinese inscription dating the work to the reign of the Wanli emperor (r. 1573-1619) of the Ming dynasty as well as Tibetan glosses identifying the scenes depicted. The presence of the glosses indicates that this tangka was made for a Tibetan client. Depicted around the central icon of a radiant Buddha is a series of scenes, each with mountains and monastic buildings serving as scene dividers. Both Jatakas depicted recount the bodhisattvas self-sacrifice.. Buddha Shakyamuni and Scenes of His Previous Lives (Jataka Tales). Tibet. 1573-1619. Distemper on cloth. Paintings

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

Korea,Seoul,Jogyesa Temple,Daeungjeon or Hall of the Great Hero,Exterior Panels depicting Life of Buddha

Greeting of the Righteous Man on the Way to the Pure Land of Buddha Amitabha. Tangut State of the Western Xia (982-1227). Khara-Khoto. 13th century. Scroll: colur on cotton.The State Hermitage Museum. Saint Petersburg. Russia.

India, Himachal Pradesh, Dhauladhar Mountain Range, Kangra District, Dharamsala, Sidhpur. Painting of Buddhist deity on the wall at the Norbulingka Institute.

Achala with Consort Vishvavajri 1525-50 Nepal, Kathmandu Valley With its dazzling colors, dynamic figures, and imposing scale, this painting, a visualization of the Chandamaharoshana tantrathe meditational text devoted to Acalaranks among the most powerful examples of sixteenth-century Nepalese art. Acala (literally, “immovable”) is a wrathful manifestation of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom and, in Nepalese Buddhism, a manifestation of Chakrasamvara. He is popularly associated with magic, healing, and protection from disease. Crowned, jeweled, and grasping a sword, Acala cuts through the veil of ignorance. His left hand, holding a vajra-tipped noose to catch the ignorant, gestures in admonition. He is locked in sexual embrace with his consort, Vishvavajri. The pair visually expresses the bliss of enlightenment that can be achieved by the combination of right knowledge and right method.. Achala with Consort Vishvavajri. Nepal, Kathmandu Valley. 1525-50. Distemper on cloth. Malla

Mandarava is, along with Yeshe Tsogyal, one of the two principal consorts of Padmasambhava and is considered a female guru-deity in Buddhism. Mandarava, born a princess in Mandi, Himachel Pradesh, India in the 8th Century CE, renounced her royal birthright in order to practice the Dharma, and became a fully realized spiritual adept and great teacher.

Tibetan Buddhist Deity Jambala on snow lion, Tagong Monastery (Lhagang ) - Kham (E. Tibet), Sichuan Province, China

Eighth Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje (1507-1554) and his teacher the First Sangye Nyenpa. Date/Period: 16th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Height: 850.90 mm (33.50 in); Width: 609.60 mm (24 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Tibetan Buddhism, wall painting, meditating Buddha, many small Buddhas, Chemre Gompa Monastery, Chemrey, Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir, India, South Asia, Asia

The Hindu Godess Indrani (a); The Hindu Goddess Brahmani (b). Nepal, circa 1800. Drawings; watercolors. Mineral pigments on cotton cloth

Mandala

Chinese replica of Buddhist Tanka decorations, Panjuan Flea Market decorations, Beijing, China. Panjuan Flea Curio market has many fakes, replicas and copies of Chinese products.

Portrait of a Monk, from a Lamdre Lineage series , 16th century. Opaque watercolor on cotton, 31 1/2 x 26 1/4 in. (80 x 66.7 cm). Asian Art 16th century

Rasetsuten 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

Thanka of Hierachs of the Sakya Lineage, one of a pair, late 17th century, 31 1/8 x 22 7/16 in. (79.06 x 56.99 cm) (image), Stone ground pigments and gold on sized linen, Tibet, 17th century

Thangka, old hand-painted scroll painting from the Himalayas

Acala, The Buddhist Protector. Culture: Nepal, Kathmandu Valley. Dimensions: Overall: 32 x 26 1/2 in. (81.3 x 67.3 cm). Date: 15th century.Acala (literally, "immovable") is a wrathful manifestation of Manjushri. He wields a sword to dispatch ignorance and a noose to snare disbelievers. His enflamed wide eyes and a facial grimace exposing teeth express his fearsome aspect. He kneels with one knee on the ground, evoking his role as a protector of the earth. He is set in a flaming aureole, his knowledge field, and is honored with an elaborate archway (torana) topped by Garuda fighting two nagas. Numerous protective emanations surround him in a series of registers; in the lower register, a Vajracharya priest performs rituals for the benefit of the donor family seated opposite. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Bagalamukhi Matrika. Nepal, 19th century. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor on paper

Old tibetan thangka paintings. Buddhist art.

Lord Buddha s Paintings Copyright: xRajinderxWadhwa/DinodiaxPhotox

Amit'a (Amitabha) with Six Bodhisattvas and Two Arhats , 19th century. Ink and colors on silk, 31 3/4 x 35 1/4 in. (80.6 x 89.5 cm). Asian Art 19th century

Buddha by Anonymous artist, Mineral Pigment on Cotton, circa 1319, Usa, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 75,2x151

Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon Indian. , 19th century. Opaque watercolor embellished with applied gold and lacquer strips, 15 5/8 x 12 1/4 in. (39.7 x 31.1 cm). Asian Art 19th century

Amitabha rising above the hills. Date: 14th century. Origin: Japan. Period: Kamakura period. Color and gold on silk panel. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Nepal, Kathmandu, Boudinath Stupa. Detail of a Thanka, a religious painting showing the life of the Buddha at Boudinath.

Temptation and Enlightenment depicted in the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Wall paintings inside Derge Gonchen Monastery of Majushri in Derge town - Kham, (E. Tibet), Sichuan Province, China

Shakyamuni and the Eighteen Arhats. Eastern Tibet, 19th century. Textiles; embroidery. Silk satin with silk embroidery

AMITABHA, THE BUDDHA OF THE WESTERN PURE LAND, Tibetan, Buddhist, 18th c., painting. Amitayus, the Buddha of Eternal Life, in his paradise, Sukhavati, the Western Pure Land. The sky is filled with demigods who scatter flowers. Just below Amitayus are the eight great bodhisattvas. In bottom landscape are pools from which the purified are reborn (BSLOC_2017_16_13)

Tibetan Buddhist TeacherTsonkhapa

Dalai Lama () sitting on a lotus with the Buddha just above him and ten other Buddhist figures surrounding him. Lithograph.

Enmaten 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

Dakini 14th century Japan Dressed in Chinese courtly attire, Dakini sits astride a fox on a cloud held aloft by dragons and grasps a vajra sword and sacred jewels. An ancient Hindu deity, Dakini was originally a man-eating demoness transformed by the Buddha Mahavairocana (Dainichi Nyorai) into a life-engendering divinity. She embodies powers of fertility that were invoked for imperial enthronement rituals in the Kyoto court, which led to her assimilation with the ancient Shinto fox deity, Inari.. Dakini 54199

Mahavira Sitting at the Top of the Universe: Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript 15th century India (Gujarat) Mahavira as a liberated soul (siddha), having departed this life for the highest celestial heaven, isatpragbhara, is represented by the inverted crescent moon of "pure white gold." All siddhas, foremost among whom are the jinas, reside there in perfect bliss. A pair of flower buds emanates from behind Mahavira's crown, which may be read as a mark of siddha-hood. Flowering trees reverently inclinetoward the jina.. Mahavira Sitting at the Top of the Universe: Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript 74994

Five Wisdom Kings (Vidyaraja)/The Five King of Vidyaraja. unknown, painter

Buddha Enthroned in a Shrine, Leaf from a dispersed Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita Manuscript. Culture: India (Bengal) or Bangladesh. Dimensions: 2 3/16 x 22 3/8 in. (5.6 x 56.8 cm). Date: ca. 1090.Buddha enthroned in a shrine, with his hands raised in dharmacakra mudra, preaching. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

fine arts, Tibet, woodprint, taeching Buddha, coloured wood engraving, 19th/20th century, private collection,

Kalachakra and his Core Assembly. Date/Period: 17th century. Painting. Mineral pigments on silk Mineral pigments on silk. Author: UNKNOWN.

Akshobhya Buddha , 17th century. Ink and color on gold and silver background on cotton, 29 3/4 x 19 3/8 in. (75.6 x 49.2 cm). Asian Art 17th century

A ferocious form of Shiva sitting on a prostrate body in front of a five headed goddess seated on a throne. Gouache painting by an Indian artist.

Acala. Tangut State of the Western Xia (982-1227). Khara-Khoto. Late 12th-14th century. Tangka: colours on silk .The State Hermitage Museum. Saint Petersburg. Russia.

Miniature tsakali with the image of one of the naked kings named d Ogbo (tib. 'Yog because); 2. PO. XIX W.-1. after. 20th century (1851-00-00-1950-00-00);Deposits, the art of Tibetan Buddhism

Temple guard guarding the East and spring, named Dhritarashtra. Kopan monastery.

China - Gansu Province - Dunhuang. Visual arts from Mogao Caves (Caves of a Thousand Buddhas: UNESCO World Heritage Site, 1987)

Vaisravana Bishamonten, the Guardian of the North, Tibetan culture

Ganesh (Ganapati), elephant-headed Hindu god, wall painting, Pema Osel Ling Monastery, Dakshinkali, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Gakkō Bosatsu, from Album of Buddhist Deities from the Diamond World and Womb World Mandalas” (Kontai butsugajō”) mid-12th century Attributed to Takuma Tametō This page depicts the Bodhisattva of Moon-Radiance (Gakkō Bosatsu). It comes from a book of iconographic drawings representing the vast array of Buddhas and bodhisattvas depicted in the Diamond World (Kongōkai) and Womb World (Taizōkai) Mandalas. His primary name is inscribed in the upper right and his secret name,” Kiyohara Kongō, in the upper left. The deity’s seed syllables” (shuji), tiny Sanskrit characters that signify his nature and function, appear at the bottom right along with Chinese characters to aid in their pronunciation and interpretation. At the bodhisattva’s right knee is an explanation of where he appears in the mandala.. Gakkō Bosatsu, from Album of Buddhist Deities from the Diamond World and Womb World Mandalas” (Kontai butsugajō”) 45618

Kunga Wangcuk (1424-1478) and Sonam Senge (1429-1489), The Fourth and Sixth Abbots of Ngor. Central Tibet, Ngor Monastery, 1475-1500. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth

Initiation Card (Tsakalis): Vajrapani early 15th century Tibet Tsakali cards were used by itinerant teachers moving from one monastery to another in order to evoke Vajrayana Buddhist deities. When laid on the ground in the form of a mandala, as seen here, they functioned to create a fixed sacred space like that of a temple. The deities shown on these initiation cards include the Tathagata Buddhas, various bodhisattvas, fierce protectors, and the six possible realms of rebirth seen across the bottom. They probably were made by a Nepali artist for a Tibetan patron of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.Tsakali cards were used individually to align a disciple with a deity from the vast pantheon. First, the disciple sought permission from the deity, either through a dream or under the guidance of a teacher. The associated ritual involved visualizing the deity as described in recited mantras (incantations) and with an imagein this case, the deity represented on the tsakali.The cards for

Padmasambhava, (Sanskrit Padmakara; Tibetan Pemajungne; Chinese Lianhuashang) or 'Lotus Born', was a guru from Oddiyana (modern Swat) who is said to have transmitted Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet and neighbouring countries in the 8th century. In those lands he is better known as Guru Rinpoche ('Precious Guru') or Lopon Rinpoche, or, simply, Padum in Tibet, where followers of the Nyingma school regard him as the second Buddha. His Pureland Paradise is Zangdok Palri (the Copper-coloured Mountain). He is further considered an emanation of Buddha Amitabha and traditionally even venerated as a second Buddha. He was born into a Brahmin family of Northwest India.

Religious artwork on the walls of a Buddhist monastery, Bhutan.

Image of Avalokitesvara from the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang (910 CE). From Cave 17 at Qian Fo Dong. Collected by Sir Marc Aurel Stein, c. 1902. Avalokiteśvara ('Lord who looks down') is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism.

King Songten Gampo as the incarnate Avalokiteshvara 10th-11th century Tibet Although this painting is dominated by images of an eleven-headed bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and a pair of golden footprints, the subject is that of the unassuming lama seated at the lower center, likely the seventh-century Tibetan king Songten Gampo. He appears as an incarnation of his spiritual mentor, Avalokiteshvara, who presides above him in radiant form. He is flanked by portraits of his two queens, their hands raised reverently. One of the earliest surviving Tibetan paintings on silk, it reflects an awareness of Central Asian Buddhist art traditions and is a rare reminder that the early kingdoms of Tibet were as much engaged with Central Asia and the frontiers of China as they were with the Indian subcontinent to their south.. King Songten Gampo as the incarnate Avalokiteshvara. Tibet. 10th-11th century. Painting on silk. Paintings

Miniature tsakali with the imagination of the character of Bodhisattwy Awalokite 19th century () (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);

Interior of a Book Cover: Manjuvajra Embracing His Consort, with Attendant Lamas. Culture: Tibet. Dimensions: 16 3/4 x 5 5/8 in. (42.5 x 14.3 cm). Date: late 13th century.Paintings on the interiors of book covers consecrate and protect the sacred texts within. The Buddhist deity Manjuvajra is an esoteric expression of the wisdom bodhisattva Manjushri and is seen here in a sexual embrace with one of the wisdom goddesses, or Vidyadharas. Here, Manjushri and his consort wield identical weapons to drive away impediments to spiritual awakening. Meditations on Manjuvajra are understood to specifically enhance memory and intelligence, necessary tools on the path to wisdom. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Maitreya Buddha, Tibetan culture

Mahakala, Protector of the Tent. Culture: Tibet. Dimensions: Image: 29 x 20 1/2 in. (73.7 x 52.1 cm)Overall: 30 1/4 x 21 3/4 in. (76.8 x 55.2 cm). Date: ca. 1650.This black-ground painting is a visualization image of Mahakala as Panjarantha, the enlightened protector of Buddhism. He tramples a male corpse beneath his feet and displays a flaying knife (kartrika) in his right hand and a skull cup (kapala) in his left, implements for cutting through delusions and ignorance. A ritual wand (gandi) is balanced in the crooks of his arms. Panjaranatha is understood as the "original" Mahakala from which all other manifestations emanate. Several of the latter, along with the deity's associates, surround him, including Brahmarupa (the "lesser Mahakala," at left), blowing a thighbone trumpet, and Palden Lhamo (Mahakala's consort), riding her mule. In the upper corners are two hierarchs of the Sakya lineage, over which Mahakala presides as their principal protector, and below his fearful retinue

wall painting of demon , hemis gompa , leh , ladakh , Jammu and Kashmir , india

Ancient Tibetan wall painting art of buddha in a historic Tibetan lamasery

Embroidery of a Thousand-Armed Kannon probably late 15th-early 16th century Unidentified artist This exceedingly rare example of late medieval Buddhist embroidery depicts a Thousand-armed Kannon (Japanese: Senju Kannon). Such elaborate textiles were painstakingly stitched as an act of devotion and an individual or group of believers would commission them in order to gain religious merit. Stylistic considerations place this work in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century, which concurs with radiocarbon dating of thread samples.Senju Kannon, a manifestation of a compassionate bodhisattva, has eleven heads (jūichimen) and multiple arms. Though senju literally means one-thousand arms,” sculpted and painted version of this deity often reduce the arms to a finite number, such as ten. Here, the palms of the deity’s central hands are pressed together to form a gasshō, a gesture of greeting and reverence. Other hands wield a hand drum, pilgrim’s staff, trident, Dharma wheel, wish-grantin

Tu An buddhist temple. Thangka. Buddha

China: Northern Song Dynasty silk painting of Ksitigarbha (Kshitigarbha) as Lord of the Six Ways, 963 CE, British Museum, London

China, Yunnan, Nujiang Prefecture, Liuku. Door painting of immortal; Sand Mt. Buddhist Temple

Mahakala in the Form of a Brahman. Date/Period: 17th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Height: 609.60 mm (24 in); Width: 431.80 mm (17 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Izanaten 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

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.

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