Pundit Tsongkhapa with His Chief Disciples Gyaltsab Je and Khedrup Je

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Tsongkhapa was born in the Tsongkhapa Valley of Amdo, a province in northern Tibet, where the Kumbum monastery was later founded to commemorate his birthplace. The region is presently integrated in the Chinese province of Qinghai. He is one of the most historically renowned and universally revered Tibetan Lamas. Known as Je Rinpoche, Precious Master, by all Tibetan Buddhists, Tsongkhapa is recognized as an emanation of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of wisdom, by virtue of his exceptional erudition. He founded Gelug sect, although he intended only to revive the Kadam Order stemming from Atisa. Tsongkhapa mastered the teachings of many lineages and assimilated his vast body of learning into the Gelug curriculum, featuring philosophy and debate along with advanced yogic and Tantric themes. Moreover he restored strict monastic discipline, with the interdiction of the use of alcohol, requirement of strict celibacy, and tight daily schedule. He attempted to restrict black magic and to resist the erosion of tantric ritual.

It is said that Shakyamuni Buddha and Padmasambhava both predicted the life and accomplishments of Tsongkhapa. During the time of Shakyamuni, Tsongkhapa was a young boy who offered the Buddha a clear crystal rosary and received a conch shell in return. The Buddha prophesied that the boy would be born in Tibet, create a great monastery, present a crown to the Buddha status in Lhasa, and be instrumental in the promotion of Buddhism in that country. Padmasambhava predicted that a fully ordained Buddhist monk would be born in the east near the land of China, be regarded as an emanation of a Bodhisattva of greatest renown, and attain the bliss-body (sambhoga kaya) of a Buddha. All this came to pass. The conch shell that the Buddha had given the boy was unearthed during the building of Ganden monastery in Lhasa; it could still be seen in Drepung monastery. The crown still adorns the head of the Buddha in Lhasa at the Jokhang.

At the age of three Tsongkhapa took lay vows and at the age of seven receive ordination as a novice monk. Within five year, Tsongkhapa received the empowerments of the Chakrasamvara, Hevajra, and Yamantaka mandalas. He commenced to travel across Tibet, studying at the feet of many masters. At the age of sixteen he journeyed to Drigung monastery, where he studied Perfection of Wisdom philosophy, the great Seal (Mahamudra), and a range of principal Mahayana and Vajrayana texts. Even at this early age his fame began to spread and he began to transmit his knowledge to a growing number of disciples while teaching at such monastic colleges as Drigung, Samye, Zhalu, and Sakya.

Tsongkhapa experienced his first encounter with the Bodhisattva Manjushri at the age of thirty-three. He could directly experience Manjushri's presence and receive teachings from him. Thus, Tsongkhapa came to be recognized as an emanation of the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. In 1938 Tsongkhapa attained perfect enlightenment. Subsequently, he established the Great Prayer Festival at Lhasa in 1409. In 1410, he founded a monastery and named it Ganden. Here he served as the first Throne-Holder of Ganden. Under his leadership, Gelug Order spread across Tibet and became the largest school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Here he is presented in ornate robes and wearing the conical yellow hat of a pandita, the distinctive headgear of Gelug hierarchs that earned the sect its sobriquet as the 'Yellow Hat' sect. Tsongkhapa's main disciples, Gyaltsab Je and Khedrup Je, are depicted to his left and right sides, below his throne. Gyaltsab Je, became a monk in the Sakyapa sect and received a khachu degree in philosophy and Buddhist literature, the highest degree then offered, for which he was tested in ten subjects. Gyaltsab Je became the favourite disciple of Tsongkhapa and transmitter of his teachings. Khedrup Je was an erudite scholar and also wrote a biography of his teacher.

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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.