Tibetan Buddhist Deity Jambhala (Kubera): The God Who Bestows Wealth and Prosperity

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Kubera, the god of wealth and the regent of North is also known as – Vaishravana and Jambhala. According to Hindu mythology Kubera was the son of a sage called Vishravas, hence his he is also called Vaishravana or Vishravana. He is also the god of wealth and guardian of North in Brahmanical Pantheon. Kubera has both Yi-dam and Dharmapala forms of great antiquity in India and Nepal. As Yi-dam he is called Jambhala, probably from the jambhara (citron or lemon) this form always carries in his right hand. In Tibet Kubera or Vaishravana has been one of the primary protectors of the Gelugpa sect since the fourteenth century. He has two main aspects, that of a warrior protector and that of deity of wealth. As a guardian of the North he is called Vaishravana by Buddhists, and his abode is Alaka in the Himalayas, abounding in wealth and magnificence, where he is attended by Yakshas and horse-headed men called kinnaras. It is believed that performing prosperity rituals to Kubera or Jambhala will increase wealth and prosperity. There is a special ceremony in Tibet for imploring Kubera for riches, which is called Yanyung. Kubera or Vaishravana or Jambhala is popular in Tibet, Mongolia, China, Nepal and Japan where he is known as Bishamon.

In the present Painting Jambhala has been depicted as a god of wealth. The complexion of his body is golden yellow and is semi-wrathful in appearance. The pot-bellied Jambhala is seated in lalitasana on moon disk on a lotus seat. His right foot is pendant and supported by a lotus base. His right hand holds a jambhara. Under his left arm is a large mongoose. The mongoose is supposed to be the receptacle of all gems and jewels, and when Jambhala presses the two sides of the mongoose it vomits the treasures within.

Select Bibliography

A. Getty, The Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1962

B. Bhattacharyya, The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Calcutta, 1968

Barbara Lipton & Nima D. Ragnubs, Treasures of Tibetan Art, New York, 1996

Ben Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangka, Holland, 2001

Lokesh Chandra, Transcendental Art of Tibet, Delhi, 1996

Marylin M. Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet New York, 1997

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.)".

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.