The Nyingma Refuge Tree

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Here all the figures of the personages have brought together in and around a tree that stands in the cosmic ocean. The tree is an ancient symbol in Asia. The Buddha attained enlightenment under a Pipal tree. The tree of life is a very popular motif in arts and crafts. This tree has its roots in the life-giving primal waters and rises up by of earth into the higher layers of air, its crown extending into the universe. Conceptually, the concept “tree” and “mountain” are interchangeable. The cosmic mountain, Mount Meru, where the gods live, is located in the cosmic ocean.

The Nyingma School is the oldest in Tibetan Buddhism. This school was founded by Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) who came to Tibet in 8th century A.D. at the invitation of then King Trisong Deutsan. It is said that Padmasambhava tamed many local Bon deities and initiated Tantric Buddhist teachings and practices in Tibet. He is still highly revered in Tibet. The honorific title by which he is generally known is Guru Rinpoche, “Precious Teacher.” He is regarded as a major spiritual ancestor of all Tibetan Buddhists in general and father of the Nyingma Order in particular. Tibetans consider him as a second Buddha. He was deified and incarnated into eight forms, one for each of eight important actions he performed during his lifetime. He gave many Tantric teachings in Tibet. He had many followers and disciples in Tibet among them his twenty-five chief disciples were well known. It is said that Padmasambhava brought a large number of books with him from India, and he also wrote many sadhanas .

Guru Padmasambhava is seated on a lotus in the center of the Refuge Tree in yab yum. He is holding a vajra in his right hand, while his left hand is embracing his consort and holding a skull cup with a small nectar vase. He wears heavy multi-color beautiful monastic robes, a scholar’s hat with half vajra on the top. The consort of Padmasambhava is represented with two arms and two legs. Her both the legs are wrapped around his waist. Her left hand is holding a skull cup, while her right is behind his neck. On the each side of Padmasambhava’s lotus throne, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and Red Tara Kurukulla have been depicted.

Growing out from the central lotus are more lotuses. On lotuses in front of Padmasambhava are Buddhas of three times – past, present and future. At their head is Shakyamuni, the Buddha of present age. He is flanked by Kashyapa Buddha and Maitreya Buddha. On the furthest away, back of Padmasambhava, is a great heap of books of the Dharma sutras, Tantras, and commentaries. They are all wrapped in precious silk cloths and give off rays of light and the sound of the Dharma in the form of teaching and mantras.

On the lotus to the proper right side of Padmasambhava is a great assembly of eight Bodhisattvas. They are all young and attractive, dressed like Indian princes that symbolize the beauty of their practice of generosity and the other perfection. Their bodies give off brilliant light, surging waves of love and compassion. Though all the Bodhisattvas are in princely costumes, but they are not holding any attributes and that makes their identification a matter of conjecture. However the eight Bodhisattvas are - Kshitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Maitreya, Sarvanirvarana Vishkambin, Samantabhadra, Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani.

On the lotus to the proper left side of Padmasambhava are great Eight Arhats. They are of various ages, dressed in saffron-color monastic robes, and each holds a pinda-patra and the Khakkhara, the sounding staff. The Eight Great Arhats depicted here are -Rahula, Aniruddha, Subhuti, Katyayana, Shariputra, Maudgalyayana, Mahakashyapa and Ananda.

On the lotuses in sky above the Eight Great Bodhisattvas are Lineage Gurus - Jigme Gyalwey Nyugu, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Dodrupchen Kunsang Shenpen, Khenchen Pema Vajra, Thubten Chokyi Dorje/5th Dzogchen Rinpoche, Drodul Kargyi Dorje/Adzom Drukpa? and Gyalsé Shenpen Tayé.

On the lotuses in sky above the Great Eight Arhats are also the Lineage Gurus - Dola Jigme Kalsang, Jigme Tenpey Nyima/3rd Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, Jigme Phuntsok Jungne, Yukhok Chatral, Apang Terton and Patrul Rinpoche.

In the sky directly above Padmasambhava sits Garab Dorje, dressed as a mahasiddha. He is the founder of Dzokchen lineage, a form practice that claims to go beyond schools. However, many of its most important practitioners have been Nyingmapa teachers. Then sits Vimalamitra and above him in the sky is Vajrasattva, in radiant white, holding the vajra to his heart and vajra-bell to his left side. Moreover there are series of Gurus in the sky above Padmasambhava. Finally, at the zenith, between the rainbow lights, sits the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra – symbol of the ever-present potentiality for Buddhahood, which is inherent in the universe, beyond space and time. He naked and his body is in deep blue color. He is seated in yab yub posture with his white complexioned consort, Samantabhadri. Gods and goddesses are making delightful offering to Padmasambhava and all the Refuges.

On the lowest tier are dakinis and dharmapals, which includes Yamantaka, Hayagriva, Takyung Barwa, Vajra Heruka, Vishuddha Heruka, Dechen Gyelmo (Queen of Great Bliss), Vajrakilaya and Lion Faced Dakini etc.

Thus, as discussed above, purpose of this presentation is not only a collection of deities and saints, but is also a concentration aid for the believer who can approach the presentation as a mandala, and penetrate to the essence of veneration by way of the various groups of deities and teachers. This type of thangka is often used to give religious instruction to laypersons and those who are uneducated, and has the same didactic function as the bhavachakra or wheel of life. Further this particular tree portrayal often renders a religious tradition that starts off with the founder of a monastic order, for instance, an abbot or a guru. Because believers take refuse in those who are portrayed on the branches of the tree, with their teacher or head of sect as the central figure. That is why this kind of portrayal is called Tree of Refuge.

This painting is brilliantly drawn and painted. The extended brocade is decorated with good luck symbol bats and stylized flowers. The painting is very much suitable for sadhana and practices.

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.)”.

Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade

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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.