Tibetan Buddhist Thangkas

Colorful thangkas depicting various Buddhist deities and bodhisattvas, showcasing intricate designs and vibrant colors that embody spiritual teachings.

Tara, also known as Jetsun Dolma (Tibetan: rje btsun sgrol ma) in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism 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 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.

Tara, also known as Jetsun Dolma (Tibetan: rje btsun sgrol ma) in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism 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 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.

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

Vajradhara , 17th century. Opaque watercolors and gold on cloth, Image: 30 7/8 x 21 1/2 in. Asian Art 17th century

The Goddess Kurukulla 19th century Tibet This large-scale appliqué depicts the Vajrayana goddess Kurukulla, known as a beautiful bewitcher of men. The four-armed figures red skin corresponds to her status as an emanation of the red Amitabha Buddha. Kurukulla is evoked for success with tantric rituals; reciting her mantra allows the practitioner to subdue or bewitch men of all ranks, even kings. Typical of late images of this deity, she shoots a bow with a flower-tipped arrow like the god of love, Kamadeva. As with many ferocious female protectors, she is presented with a headdress of skulls, wearing bone ornaments, and dancing on a pile of corpses. A garland of severed heads frames her body. Below is a group of fierce protectors. This appliqué is an outstanding and well-preserved example of Tibets textile image-making tradition.. The Goddess Kurukulla 665918

Green Tara, c. 1260s. Central Tibet. Thangka; gum tempera, ink, and gold on sized cotton; painting: 52.4 x 43.2 cm (20 5/8 x 17 in.); overall: 107 x 65 cm (42 1/8 x 25 9/16 in.). For Tibetans, Green Tara is one of the preeminent figures of their Buddhist faith, a radiant savioress who embodies the female form of the perfect, enlightened mind. The Green Tara in the Cleveland thangkaa Tibetan devotional painting on clothspecifically dispels fear and provides protection, just like her mantra inscribed on the back side of the painting. Her green color and fear-not gesture link her to the cosmic Buddha of the North, enshrined above her head. Most scholars agree that this work was painted by the celebrated Nepalese artist known as Aniko.

Sharmapa Lama, Chodag Yeshe Palzang, the 4th Shamar Rinpoche (1453-1554). Date/Period: 16th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Height: 984.25 mm (38.75 in); Width: 635 mm (25 in). Author: Situ Panchen Chögyi Jungney.

Various Buddhist tantric deities in a Tibetan Monastery in Dabpa County, Kham - Sichuan Province, China

Buddha Shakyamuni and the Eighteen Arhats. Eastern Tibet, Kham region, 18th century. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth

Milarepa (1040-1123). Tibet or Nepal, 19th century. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth; silk borders

'5th Dalai Lama Ngag dbang Rgyamtsho'. Tibet, Early 18th century. Dimensions: 65x45 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

The Buddhist Goddess Sita Tara (White Tara). Central Tibet, from a Gelukpa Monastery, 19th century. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth; silk borders

World Erotic Art Museum. Love and passion in Tantric Buddhist art. Unknown artist Tibet. Thangka. Miami, Florida, USA.

Dhritarashtra, the gaurdian King of the east, Tagong Monastery (Lhagang Gompa) - Kham (E. Tibet), Sichuan Province, China

Lamaist Mandala 17th century Tibet. Lamaist Mandala. Tibet. 17th century. Hanging scroll; print with paint. Paintings

Lama Engaged in Ritual. Date/Period: 17th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Height: 701.67 mm (27.62 in); Width: 523.87 mm (20.62 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

'Panchen Lama Blo bzang Tenpai Nyima and his Incarnation Lineage'. Tibet, Middle of the 19th century. Dimensions: 64x46 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Ksitigarbha is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism, usually depicted as a Buddhist monk in the Orient. The name may be translated as 'Earth Treasury'. Ksitigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of Gautama (Sakyamuni) Buddha and the rise of Maitreya Buddha, as well as his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied. He is therefore often regarded as the bodhisattva of hell beings, as well as the guardian of children and patron deity of deceased children and aborted foetuses in Japanese culture. Usually depicted as a monk with a nimbus around his shaved head, he carries a staff to force open the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness.

fine arts, Tibet, painting, Thangka, hierarchy of the Sa-Ggya abbots, silk, 18th century, Ethnological Collection, Zuerich University,

'Padmasumbhava and his Eight Manifestations'. Bhutan, 19th century. Dimensions: 68x48 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

The Life of Milarepa (1040-1123). Western Tibet, a Kagyupa Monastery, circa 1500. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth

Yamantaka, Destroyer of the God of Death early 18th century Tibet This image of a wrathful protector of Buddhism would have been an awesome presence in the dimly lit interior of a Tibetan monastery. Yamantaka is a violent aspect of the Bodhisattva Manjushri, who assumes this form to vanquish Yama, the god of death. By defeating Yama, the cycle of rebirths (samsara) that prevents enlightenment is broken. Yamantaka, who shares many attributes with Mahakala, is identified by his blue skin and the array of attributes displayed here. He is encircled by five smaller manifestations, each a Yama-conqueror riding a buffalo. An inscription on the reverse indicates the work was commissioned in honor of the donors lama. Flanking the uppermost Yama-conqueror are two pairs of lamas, tentatively identified as the Panchen Lama (left) and Atisha accompanied by attending lamas. Listen to experts illuminate this artwork's story Listen Play or pause #7984. Yamantaka, Destroyer of the God of Death Support

Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche, 8th century). Bhutan (), 17th-18th century. Paintings. Mineral pigments on cotton cloth

The Jina Buddha Ratnasambhava. Central Tibet (by a Newar artist), circa 1100-1125. Paintings. Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth

Shakyamuni Buddha. Date/Period: 18th century. Painting. Ground mineral pigment on cotton Ground mineral pigment on cotton. Height: 704.85 mm (27.75 in); Width: 469.90 mm (18.50 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Painted Banner (Thangka) of Skull-Cup Bearing (Kapladhara) Hevajra 1600-1625 Tibet. Pigment on cloth .

Mongolian Buddhism: Buddhist Thangka portraying a mountain deity wielding a sword. A 'thangka', also transliterated as 'tangka', 'thanka' or 'tanka' , is a Tibetan or Mongolian silk painting with embroidery, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, famous scene, or mandala.

Tsong Khapa, Founder of the Geluk Order, c. 1440-1470. Central Tibet, mid 15th Century. Opaque watercolor and gold on cotton ; overall: 91.5 x 75 cm (36 x 29 1/2 in.).

Buddhist goddess Syama Tara, fabric painting, Tibet. Tibetan Civilisation, 17th-18th centuries.

'White Tara'. Buryatia, Early 20th century. Dimensions: 7x5 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Machig Labdron, the Tibetan Yogini. Date/Period: 19th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Author: UNKNOWN.

Portrait of Jnanatapa Attended by Lamas and Mahasiddhas. Culture: Eastern Tibet, Kham, Riwoche monastery. Dimensions: 27 x 21 1/2 in. (68.6 x 54.6 cm). Date: ca. 1350.This portrait was created for Riwoche monastery in eastern Tibet, a branch of Taklung monastery. The central figure and the assembled abbots are not directly named on the painting. Nonetheless, two inscriptions allow a lineage identification: the epithet Jnanatapa ("heat of wisdom") appears on the painting's veil, a name denoting a famous Indian mahasiddha, the spiritual fathers of Tantric Buddhism. The second is the identity of presiding deity above the central figure, named as Avagarbha. The importance of these two clues is revealed by their presence in the official history of Taklung monastery, which tells that the first abbot of Riwoche monastery was an incarnation of "the peerless mahasiddha Jnanatapa" and that his Tantric teacher was Avagarbha, a Bengal siddha. Hence, this portrait is intended to invoke the spiritua

Shakyamuni Buddha, 1440-1470, 29 x 25 3/16 in. (73.66 x 63.98 cm) (image), Opaque watercolor and gold on cotton, Tibet, 15th century, The golden, radiant body of the Buddha is depicted at the moment of his enlightenment in this stunning thangka (painting). He wears a patchwork monastic robe and carries a begging bowl, both of which he adopted after choosing asceticism over his former princely life. His right hand reaches for the earth, and a raised golden halo surrounds his head and body. Two bodhisattvas stand at either side of his lotus petal throne.

Zwój malarski thangka z wyobrażeniem Palden Lhamo (Śri Devi). unknown, author

Sakyamuni.The central figure in this thangka (Buddhist cloth painting) is Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha. He is surrounded above by monks and flanked either side by a bodhisattva. Below right are two guards and between them the blue figure of the god of wealth. The stupa above Sakyamuni contains a seated Ushnishavijaya, goddess of longevity. This thangka may well havebeen painted for a long-life ritual.

Close-up of one of the four guardians painted on the gate of the Ariyabal Meditation temple in Gorkhi Terelj National Park, which is 60 km from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Shakyamuni Buddha with Avadana Legend Scenes. Date/Period: 19th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Height: 854.07 mm (33.62 in); Width: 565.15 mm (22.25 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Kara Khoto city was founded in 1032 and became a thriving center of Tangut Empire trade in the 11th century. There are remains of 30-foot (9.1 m)-high ramparts and 12-foot (3.7 m)-thick outer walls. The outer walls ran for some 421 m (1,381 ft) east-west by 374 m (1,227 ft) north-south. The walled fortress was first taken by Genghis Khan in 1226, butcontrary to a widely circulated misunderstandingthe city continued to flourish under Mongol overlordship. During Kublai Khan's time, the city was expanded, reaching a size three times bigger than during the Tangut Empire. Togoontemur Khan concentrated his preparation for reconquest of China at Khara-Khoto. The city was located on the crossroads connecting Karakorum, Xanadu and Kumul. In The Travels of Marco Polo, Marco Polo describes a visit to a city called Etzina or Edzina, which has been identified with Khara-Khoto.

'Vaishrawana and His Retinue'. China, Late 18th century. Dimensions: 63x43 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

On this thanka deities gathered to look fierce apparraissent that the deceased during the bardo. 19th Mandala canvas (painting) from Tibet

Sakyamuni enthroned; and biographical scenes. Date: 18th century. Opaque watercolor on cloth. Origin: Tibet. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Senju Kannon by Anonymous / Tokyo National Museum/ 12th century/ Japan/ Tempera on silk/ The Oriental Arts/ 138x69,4/ Mythology, Allegory and Literature

Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom. Culture: China. Dimensions: Overall: 155 x 92 in. (393.7 x 233.7 cm). Date: 17th-18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Paramasukha - Chokrasamvara, father -mother. 15th 16th cent. 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

'Fragment of the depiction of the Buddha and 16 Arhats'. Tibet, 18th century. Dimensions: 75x45 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Tibetan wall mural of Dhyana Buddhas, Tagong Monastery (Lhagang ) - Kham (E. Tibet), Sichuan Province, China

There are two major divisions of Buddhism. The Sthavira, which was more orthopraxic, and the Mahasamghika that tended to rely more on texts. Each developed into different school, of which there are many sub-divisions. At present, however, three major forms survive: one Sthavira, known as Theravada, in South East Asia, and two Mahayana, namely the Chinese and Tibetan traditions. The Theravada tradition spread from India to Sri Lanka and Burma in the 3rd century BCE, and from there to Yunnan in southwest China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, South Vietnam and Indonesia.

Sakyamuni Buddha, Sheng-wen, Chang

Buddha Shakyamuni and Narrative Scenes. Eastern Tibet, Kham region, 18th century. Paintings. Mineral pigments on cotton cloth

India, Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang. Intricate murals depicting Buddhist mythology and the Buddha's life adorn the walls of the 'Dukhang', or main prayer hall, of 17th century Tawang Monastery which stands near neighboring Bhutan and Tibet.

Wall painting in Trongsa Dzong. Trongsa Dzong, built on a spur overlooking the gorge of the Mangde River, is the largest dzong fortress in Bhutan.

According to Daoist beliefs, the entire manifested universe is ruled by three original forces, the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). The Three Pure Ones were brought into existence through the interaction of yin and yang. They are respectively Yuqing, 'The Jade Purity', Shangqing, 'The Supreme Purity', and Taiqing, 'The Grand Purity'.

The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug. 'Nyingma' literally means 'ancient', and is often referred to as the 'school of the ancient translations' or the 'old school' because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century. The Tibetan script and grammar was actually created for this endeavour. In modern times the Nyingma lineage has been centered in Kham in eastern Tibet.

Scenes from Buddha's life, a fragment of wall painting, Tibet. Tibetan Civilisation, 18th century.

Khedrup Gelek Pelzangpo, the First Panchen Lama, Making an Offering toTsongkhapa

Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Future Buddha. Date/Period: 15th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Height: 1,460.50 mm (57.50 in); Width: 787.40 mm (31 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Avalokitesvara ('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. The Mogao Caves, or Mogao Grottoes (Chinese: mògao ku, also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas and Dunhuang Caves) form a system of 492 temples 25 km (15.5 miles) southeast of the center of Dunhuang, an oasis strategically located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road, in Gansu province, China. The caves contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1,000 years. The first caves were dug out in 366 CE as places of Buddhist meditation and worship. The Mogao Caves are the best known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes and, along with Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes, are one of the three famous ancient sculptural sites of China. The caves also have celebrated wall paintings.

Arhat Pantaka (One of Nine Ritual Paintings of Arhats) , 17th century. Opaque watercolor on silk mounted on a paper and wood frame, Each painting: 43 x 25 1/2 in. Asian Art 17th century

Bonten 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, Bonten, or Brahma in Sanskrit, is the god of creation and serves as guardian of the zenith of the celestial sphere as one of the Twelve Devas.

Horyu-ji (Temple of the Flourishing Law) is a Buddhist temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is Horyu Gakumonji, or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving both as a seminary and a monastery. In 1993, Horyu-ji was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area. The Japanese government lists several of its structures, sculptures and artifacts as National Treasures. The kondo, or great hall of the temple, dating in part to the 7th century, is famous for its 7th century Buddhist murals. Unfortunately, on January 26, 1949, a fire in the kondo caused very severe damage to the murals, many of which were destroyed. The murals of the kondo comprise fifty walls; four larger walls, eight mid-sized walls and thirty-eight small wall areas inside the building. The original murals were removed after the fire incident in 1949 and are kept in storage. Twenty small wall paintings that escaped the fire remain in pla

Rocky representation of Mahakala (Tibetan version of Shiva), at the Tashilhumpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet, China.

King of the gods L'ha I Rgyal-po, fabric painting, Tibet. Tibetan Civilisation, 17th-18th centuries.

Bodhisattva Manjushri, Leaf from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnapramita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript 12th century India (Bihar or West Bengal) Bodhisattva Manjushri, wielding a sword (to dispel ignorance) and holding a palm-leaf manuscript (pustaka), associating him with Prajnaparamita.. Bodhisattva Manjushri, Leaf from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnapramita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript. India (Bihar or West Bengal). 12th century. Ink and color on palm leaf. Pala period. Paintings

painting of lord Buddha, Sikkim, india Copyright: xDebasishxBanerjee/DinodiaxPhotox

TAPIZ DE SEDA TARTARO - DETALLE. Location: PRIVATE COLLECTION. MADRID. SPAIN. BUDDHA.

Virupaksha (gaurdian of the west) at the Lhakhang Karporling of Litang Chode Monastery - Kham, Sichuan, China, (Tibet)

Panel from Painting of a Thousand-Armed Guanyin date unknown Tibet. Panel from Painting of a Thousand-Armed Guanyin. Tibet. date unknown. Color on silk. Paintings

Mural of Buddhist diety green Tara at the Potala Palace - Lhasa, Tibet

Amitabha, the Buddha of the Western Pure Land (Sukhavati). Culture: Central Tibet. Dimensions: 56 1/4 × 39 1/2 in. (142.9 × 100.3 cm). Date: ca. 1700.Amitayus, the Buddha of Eternal Life, is also known as Amitabha, one of the five Cosmic Buddhas of Esoteric Buddhism. He is shown in his paradise, Sukhavati, the Western Pure Land, enthroned beneath a flowering tree festooned with strands of jewels and auspicious symbols. To either side the sky is filled with throngs of ecstatic demigods who bear offerings and scatter flowers. Seated below are the eight great bodhisattvas, and between them are two large, low tables covered with offerings. To either side are the vast assembled audiences who receive Amitayus's message. At the bottom, set within a vast panoramic landscape, are courtyards, giant lotus flowers, and pools from which the purified are being reborn. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Buddha-Uzdrowier; 18th-19th century (1570-00-00-1700-00-00);Knothe, Jerzy (1917 -2002), Knothe, Jerzy (1917 -2002)-collection, Buddha (iconogr.), Chinese (culture), coil painting, Chinese art, purchase (provenance), ganglings, vertical scrolls

One of a Pair of Manuscript Covers from the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra) 1601-1700 Nepal. This pair of horizontal Buddhist book covers features the goddess of wisdom, Prajnaparamita. At the top she presides in her four-armed golden Nepalese form flanked by male and female devotees; on the bottom she is depicted to the left of the Buddha. Representing dharma (the teachings of the Buddha), she is recognizable by the rosary and book she holds in her upper hands; her lower hands form the gesture of teaching (vitarka mudra). In the lower book cover the three figures symbolize the three jewels of Buddhism the Buddha, dharma, and sangha (the Buddhist community). Prajnaparamita represents dharma at the left, the Medicine Buddha presides at the center, and Shadakshari Lokeshvara represents the sangha at right.. Pigments and metallic paint on wood .

Mandala of Dakini-Ten<Dakini>. Date/Period: 1400/1500. Painting. Color on silk. Width: 41.4 cm. Height: 82.5 cm. Author: UNKNOWN.

Padmasambhava as Guru Dragmar: Padmasambhava takes the form of the mystic ritual dagger (phurba). Gouache painting by a Tibetan artist.

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

Buddha preaching while celestials scatter flowers, 8th cent. AD. Silk. CHINA.

Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Zanabazar Fine Art Museum, Thangka Painting (Religious) 19Th Century

Kali is the Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy. 'She who destroys'. The name Kali comes from kala, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means 'the black one'. Since Shiva is called Kala - the eternal time, Kali, his consort, also means 'Time' or 'Death' (as in time has come). Hence, Kali is considered the goddess of time and change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation still has some influence. Various Shakta Hindu cosmologies, as well as Shakta Tantric beliefs, worship her as the ultimate reality or Brahman. She is also revered as Bhavatarini (literally 'redeemer of the universe'). Kali is represented as the consort of Lord Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. She is associated with many other Hindu goddesses like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati and Chamunda. She is the foremost among the Dasa Mahavidyas, ten fierce Tantric goddesses.

'Padmasumbhava and the Bardo Deities'. Bhutan, Early 19th century. Dimensions: 84x58,5 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Scenes from Milarepa's life, 11th century poet and monk, painting on canvas, Tibet. Tibetan Civilisation, 18th-19th century.

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.

Daiitoku Myoo. Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Image: 28 1/4 x 21 1/8 in. (71.8 x 53.7 cm)Overall with mounting: 65 1/2 x 26 1/2 in. (166.4 x 67.3 cm)Overall with knobs: 65 1/2 x 28 1/2 in. (166.4 x 72.4 cm). Date: 12th century.Daiitoku Myoo (Sanskrit: Yamantaka) is one of the five Great Light Kings of Esoteric Buddhism. His Sanskrit name means "one who stops the power of the King of Hell." He is shown with multiple heads, eyes, legs, and arms. Four hands hold a trident, a wheel, a sword, and a jeweled club while two hands join, with only the middle finger extended, in the mudra of restraint (konpon-in). Introduced from China by Kukai (774-836), the five Great Light Kings became important ritual icons called upon to protect the nation during the Sutra of the Benevolent Kings Assembly, which was performed on special occasions. This drawing is almost identical in form to an image of Daiitoku Myoo that appears in an iconographic scroll of deities from the Sutra of the Benevolent Kings (Nin

Bodhisattva Maitreya, Leaf from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript early 12th century India (Bengal) or Bangladesh Enshrined image of Bodhisattva Maitreya, holding a lotus stem surmounted by a stupa, bestowing protection, attended by celestial female demigods. Bodhisattva Maitreya, Leaf from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript 74907

Paintings of Buddhist deities in Thiksey Monastery, Leh, Ladakh, India. Paintings of Buddhist deities in Thiksey Monastery, Leh, Ladakh, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 22016181

Book Cover with Virupa and Guru with Amitabhas, 14th-15th century, 8 15/16 x 27 11/16 x 1 7/16in. (22.7 x 70.3 x 3.7cm), Opaque colors and gold on wood, Tibet, 14th-15th century, This painting would have decorated the interior of a book cover, visible only to those few who commissioned and cared for the manuscript it protected. The central image features a charismatic man with bulging eyes, identifiable as the Mahasidda Virupa, a historical figure from India (c. 600s ce) famous for his superhuman cerebral powers. Here, Virupa points to the sun, commanding it to stay in place, illustrating a story in which he promised a bartender he would pay his bill (and stop drinking) only when the sun set. Virupa, and his association with Vajrayana Buddhist teachings, was an important figure for the Sakyapa Order of Tibetan Buddhism; he is seen in dialogue with the Lama (teacher) Sakya Pandita (1182-1251). This double portrait is surrounded by a golden grid of 78 images of the Cosmic Buddha Amitayas

'Fragment of the depiction of the Buddha and 16 Arhats'. Tibet, Late 18th century. Dimensions: 75x44 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

India, West Bengal, Murals of White Tara at the Thongsa Monastery (Bhutanese); Kalimpong

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 22016121

Manuscript Cover with Buddha, Two Bodhisattvas and Two Protective Deities (Lokapalas) 1570-1580 Nepal. Pigments on wood .

Bodhisattva Maitreya, Folio from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript India (Bengal) or Bangladesh early 12th century Enshrined image of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in esoteric posture, being venerated by a female devotee and Mahakali

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

Roll showing scenes from Shakyamuni Buddha's life; followers surrounding him, being attacked by hordes of demons, Tibet. Tibetan Civilisation, 18th century.

Green Tara, Folio from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript early 12th century India (Bengal) or Bangladesh Enshrined image of Green Tara, holding a blue lotus, making the gesture of granting boons, with two female attendants, one holding a vajra; the other, Mahakali, holding a flaying knife and skullcup (kapala).. Green Tara, Folio from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript 74902

Fukūkenjaku Kannon, early 14th century, Unknown Japanese, 11 5/16 × 4 5/8 in. (28.73 × 11.75 cm) (image)16 × 9 × 1/2 in. (40.64 × 22.86 × 1.27 cm) (outer frame), Ink on paper, Japan, 14th century

'Fortune Telling Icon'. Buryatia, late 19th century. Dimensions: 6x4 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Guanyin is the bodhisattva associated with compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin which means 'Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the World'. She is also sometimes referred to as Guanyin Pusa (Guanyin Pusa; Wade-Giles: Kuan-yin Pu-sah; literally 'Bodhisattva Guanyin'). Some Buddhists believe that when one of their adherents departs from this world, they are placed by Guanyin in the heart of a lotus then sent home to the western pure land of Sukhavati. It is generally accepted (in the Chinese community) that Guanyin originated as the Sanskrit Avalokitesvara, which is her male form. Commonly known in English as the Mercy Goddess or Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin is also revered by Chinese Daoists (Taoists) as an Immortal.

'Series of Tibetan Thangkas Representing Buddha and Arhats'. Tibet, Early 19th century. Dimensions: 47,5x35 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Red Padmataka () and Consort, Nyingmapa Buddhist or Bon Ritual Card. Tibet, 18th-19th century. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor on paper

Spirit of a Noble Woman (Probably Princess Pari) and Attendant. Korea, Korean, Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), 18th century. Paintings. Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk

Life of Buddha. Buddhist temple.

Manuscript Cover from the Glorification of the Great Goddess (Devimahatmya) 1701-1800 Nepal. Pigments on wood .

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