“If a man is tormented by fear of what he will experience at the moment of death, let him listen to the preaching of the law, and no longer will fear rise in his heart. After my death, preach what is right, do good, behave rightly. Wherever things are done well, I shall be found” (Mahaparinirvana Sutta).
The year was 478 BCE. Soon after the Buddha addressed his dear disciple Ananda with these words and told him that he wished to depart from this world, his followers- monks and laity alike, gathered at the site of Kushinagar, to listen to the great Parivrajaka (ascetic) bless them with his teachings, one last time. Buddha asked them about their queries related to the doctrine, spoke of the Four Noble Truths, and asked Ananda to prepare a couch for him. Lying on his right side, his head to the north and placed on his palm, surrounded by human and celestial beings as well as wild beasts, Tathagata (liberated one) left his mortal body.
Those who gathered to attend the Parinirvana paid homage for seven days. The passing of the Buddha from the human realm to the plain of divine consciousness is a celebrated theme in Buddhist art of the East. This particular Thangka presents the Nehan Zu, the Buddha’s Parinirvana as visualized by the Japanese Buddhist artists. Nehan is derived from Nirvana- a Sanskrit term denoting moksha or liberation.
The central figure of the painting is the Buddha himself, whose heavenly presence is marked by his huge body- representing the enormity of Buddhahood. Treatment of the grieving figures is tremendously fine, lending each one of them a distinct personality. Ananda has fainted, deeply struck by the pain of losing his master. Some of the followers are crying inconsolably, animals can be seen facing the sky and howling in grief, while those who are aware of the truth about the impermanence of life carry a composure on their faces. Two celestial beings, depicted with red skin tone appear especially distraught.
In the sky, a full moon glows in all its beauty, hinting that it is the hour just before dawn. On the right side of the painting, the Buddha’s mother Mahamaya can be seen descending from the heavens along with her attendants, covering her face with her hands as she weeps. The coming down of Maya’s soul is a quintessentially Japanese addition to the Mahaparinirvana images, where her entourage is headed by Anaritsusonja. Sal trees that flank the Buddha and his assembly bloom out of season as a homage to the great departure.
Mahaparinirvana paintings have a long tradition of serving as the main image in Buddhist shrines and are an important element of the celebration of Buddha’s nirvana or Nehan de, which falls on the 15th day of the second month of the Lunar calendar. The style of this Thangka is undoubtedly Japanese- the Yamato-e style of the Kamakura period to be more precise. This style was inspired by Chinese art and used its methods- naturalistic representation of animals, use of bright colours, dividing the space with the help of features such as clouds and river, and a bird’s eye view, abundantly.
A magnificent representation of the profound philosophy of Buddhism- “Nothing lasts forever”, this Thangka is no less than a masterpiece.
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