Five forms of Manjushri

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

The first day of the year is dedicated to Manjushri. He is looked upon by certain sects as the god of Agriculture, by others as the Celestial Architect, and is believed to have inspired with his divine intelligence those who have been active in the propagation of the Buddhist doctrine. He is the god of science, and swings his sword of wisdom with its flaming point to dissipate the darkness among men, to cleave the clouds of ignorance. The Chinese say that when he preaches the Law every demon is subjugated, and every error that might deceive man is dissipated. He is an extremely popular deity in all the Northern Buddhist countries, and one often sees his image in magic paintings, charms, and mandalas.

In the four corners of the painting can be seen four different forms of Manjushri. In the upper left corner can be seen In his form called Manjughosha. In this form both the sword and book are supported by lotus-flowers and the stems are held by the hands. In the upper right corner can be seen Manjushri in his four-handed incarnation.

In the lower left corner is the White Manjushri called Siddhaikavira. His right hand is the varada mudra and left holds the stem of a lotus, which supports the book and sword. The figure in the lower right corner is similar to the central image, other than it is a manifestation of Manjushri in blue color.

This description by Nitin Kumar, Executive Editor, Exotic India.

Each of our thangkas comes framed in silk brocade and veil, ready to be hung in your altar.

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

References:

Beer, Robert. The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1999.

Chakraverty, Anjan. Sacred Buddhist Painting. New Delhi: Roli Books, 1998

Fisher, Robert E. Art of Tibet. London: Thames and Hudson, 1997.

Getty, Alice. The Gods of Northern Buddhism. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1978.

Lipton, Barbara, and Ragnubs, Nima Dorjee. Treasures of Tibetan Art: Collection of the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Pal, Pratapaditya. Art of Tibet. Los Angeles: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1990.

Rhie, Marylin M. & Thurman, Robert A.F. Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet. London: Thames and Hudson, 1996.7

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

Of Related Interest:

Manjushri (Brass Statue)

Dancing Manjushri (Copper Sculpture gilded with 24 Karat Gold)

Japanese Manjushri (Monju Bosatsu) (Copper Sculpture)

Manjushri Yab-Yum (Tantra Sculpture)

Manjushri (Sterling Silver Pendant)

Manjushri (Sterling Silver Finger Ring)

Chanting the Names of Manjusri: The Manjusri Nama-Samgiti (Book)

The Bodhisattva Ideal: Buddhism and the Aesthetics of Selflessness (Article)

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.