That Mighty Wave of Passionate Commitment to Truth and Freedom

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

In her right she brandishes a chopper with a razor sharp blade. With this implement, the yogini cuts of all fetters of attachment, especially concern for the material body. For the faint hearted, this is a weapon of destruction; for the spiritually brave, it is an invitation to be cut free of all limitations.

On her head is a tiara. However, rather than jewels, it is set with five human skulls. These represent the collective wisdom of the five dhyani Buddhas. Falling over her shoulders is a long garland of realistically rendered skulls, hung with a pendant of a miniature image of Vajrayogini. The skulls suggest death, just as the skull cup filled with the red nectar of great bliss - namely blood, signifies life. Incessantly drinking this elixir of life, Vajrayogini fills herself with spiritual zest and energy.Thus she encompasses within herself the endless round of birth and death. Going beyond this cycle, she turns life and death into her ornaments. This is also why she wears the sparkling white bone apron, knitted out of human bones. Dangling on a similar chain is a decorated mirror, which reflects the result of all our past karmas. Her luscious, well-formed bosom is thrust forward, symbolizing her capacity to bestow great bliss on all beings.

The third eye in the center of her forehead represents her ability to foresee the future, in addition to the past and present. In the crook of her left arm, Vajrayogini supports a magic staff, similar to that of the great Tantric guru - Padmasambhava. This signifies her male consort, without whom she is incomplete, as is he without her. All around her body, blazing flames leap up. They are the fires of her soaring inspiration, her unquenchable energy and purifying wisdom. She seems ecstatic, wild with compassion and drenched with an insatiable thirst for truth.

She dances with her left leg raised, even while a tormented human figure, lying on a blooming lotus, prostrates at her right foot. This pathetic individual symbolizes craving, hatred and ignorance, which the yogini has successfulyy subdued. Yet she gyrates with abandon, totally oblivious of the vanquished figure.

Her whole movement is upwards. She leaps as she dances - as if impatient to take off into a higher dimension. Her vigorous jig takes place in a void or emptiness symbolized here by the sky. Doing so, she maps out her own space and domain, and carves out her own sacred mandala. Thus asserting that though she confirms her identification with the male of the species she is not be taken for granted nor imposed upon, the blazing fires behind her ever ready to consume the enemies of the Dharma. Indeed, she is that huge wave of passionate commitment to truth and total freedom that has carried all the Buddhas to enlightenment.

Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade

Free Shipping. Delivered by to all international destinations within 3 to 5 days, fully insured.

Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.