Buddha Shakyamuni and 35 Confessional Buddhas

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Beside the throne of the Buddha stand Shariputra and Maugalyayana, his two chief disciples. The 35 Confessional Buddhas are surrounding the central figure. However the upper panel is rendered with the figures of offering deities.

Buddhism recognizes 35 serious violations and sins against the teachings. The sinner who repents will find for each misstep a Buddha who will point the way to a better attitude toward` life. All 35 have a name. They only appear in the specific context of the Confessional Buddhas. Numerologists have given the number 35 cosmic dimension by breaking it down into the four cardinal directions and the four intermediary directions plus zenith and nadir, and the axis between, as well as the 24 vertical intermediary divisions. Thus the number 35 expresses the omnipresence of the Buddha. In the present thangka the painter largely followed the layout but did not stick to the proper number.

The group of 35 confessional Buddhas have very important place in Tibetan Buddhism. The centre of this group is always represented by the Buddha Shakyamuni as he himself is 35th among the Confessional Buddhas. The Shiksha- samuchchaya and the works of Tsong Khapa mention in detail about the meaning, significance and iconography of the Confessional Buddhas. These Buddhas are invoked in the so-called Confession or Sins. Their images are evolved by giving different colours to the Buddhas in the five elementary sedent attitudes. And they together with "the thousand Buddhas," may be considered as concrete representations of the titles of the historical human Buddha.

At the bottom centre of the painting is depicted Nagarjuna, one of the greatest Indian teachers and Mahayana philosophy masters. Nagarjuna can be recognized by the snake's hood above his head. All the figures are brilliantly rendered and painted. The painting is very much suitable for all levels of sadhana, and practices and rituals.

Select Bibliography

B. Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangkas, Holland, 2001

C. Bendall, Shiksha-Samuchchaya of Shantideva, BBS, St. Petersburg,

K.T. Khechog Palmo, Confession before the Thirty-five Enlightenment Ones.

Marylin M. Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion, New York, 1999

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".

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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.