Maharakta Ganapati

There are a number of very good paintings and sculpture of Maharakta Ganapati. This however has to be the best of the late paintings, likely to be 18th century. As for the provenance, it was owned in the 1960s by the Kumar Galleries of New Delhi and later sold to the Guimet Museum in Paris sometime in the early 1970s. Also during this period the painting was made into a poster and offered for sale in both Europe and North America.

The painting was commissioned by someone of the Sakya Tradition. The composition has several unique features such as the Ratnasambhava Buddha at the top center accompanied by several Sakya teachers, the special form of Bhutadamara Vajrapani unique to the Maharakta practice, and the Yugu Chesum - three wealth sisters - at the bottom center. It is really a fantastic example both for art and iconography of an important Power Deity in the Sakya Tradition.

Virupa Page on the HAR Website - Updated

Virupa, the Lord of Yoga, 9th century (Tibetan: bir wa pa, nal jor wang chug); foremost in magical attainments amongst the 84 mahasiddhas of India. He can appear in a number of different forms and colours. He can also appear in different contexts such as a set of lineage images, a narrative scene, the set of Eighty-four Mahasiddhas, as a Guruyoga meditation form, etc. Virupa is not unique to any one tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and therefore can be found almost anywhere. In the Sakya Tradition Virupa is typically depicted in one or all of six textually documented forms that follow the major events in his life story.

The image of the sculpture on the left is from the Lamdre Lhakang at Gyantse Palkor Chode in Tsang, Tibet. In this form Virupa is displaying a teaching gesture (mudra).

When depicted with the right arm raised in the air and performing a wrathful gesture Virupa can easily be mistaken for the Nyingma teacher Shri Simha who appears in a similar posture and gesture.

"Reversing the Ganga and subduing the evil king; while holding the sun - drinking the liquor of the entire country, without being drunk; completely shattering the Linga and subduing the Chandali; to the renowned Lord of Power, I bow my head." (Sakya liturgical verse).

Sakya Tridzin Wangdu Nyingpo - New Images

Additional images have been added to the Wangdu Nyingpo main page. He was the 29th Sakya Tridzin and considered the second Padmasambhava of this Age. He was considered to be a rebirth of Ngor Khenchen Palden Chokyong and others. Most of his profound teachings were received from his father Kunga Lodro, the previous Sakya Tridzin. Wangdu Nyingpo constructed a new Vajrabhairava temple in Sakya with a bigger than life size central image along with the twelve wrathful retinue figures slightly larger than the size of a man. Along with that he constructed a new protector chapel with very large sculpture. Renowned as a 'treasure Revealer' (terton) his books are still available and read today.

Wangdu Nyinpo is sometimes employed as a guruyoga practice based on a text that he wrote himself. He is depicted in a wrathful form with either a black hat topped with a raven or a standard Sakya hat with lappets draped across the top.

The 69th Abbot of Ngor Evam Choden Monastery, Ngagwang Yontan Gyatso (1902-1963), was believed by some to be an incarnation of Wangdu Nyingpo, as is the current Sakya Tridzin, Ngagwang Kunga (born 1941).

The Pillars of Lhakang Chenmo, Sakya Town

The temple of Lhakang Chenmo in Sakya Town, Tibet, is famous for it very large and massive pillars. There are four principal pillars in the main temple of Lhakang Chenmo. Each of the pillars are named and have a special story relating their symbolic meaning and how they came to be in the main temple of Sakya.

- Yellow Pillar

- Tiger Pillar

- Wild Yak Pillar

- Black Blood Dripping Pillar

Bhutadamara Vajrapani

A new challenger has arisen to contest for the title of Best Bhutadamara Image. Those of you that are familiar with Bhutadamara and this website know that top spot has traditionally been held by the painting from the American Museum of Natural History. The strength of that painting is really in the form of the deity, the arms and legs along with the proportions. The image of Bhutadamara from Gonkar Choede Monastery is also good but not quite as wrathful. However, we have a new contender from the Gyantse Kumbum in Tibet. This form of the deity is very wrathful with great proportions. It now has the title of Best Bhutadamara Image.

Chaturmukha Mahakala of the Sakya Tradition

In the Sakya Tradition this form of Mahakala cannot be shown to those that do not have the initiation. Unfortunately for Sakya other traditions have adopted this same practice and have loosened the restrictions. There are also numerous paintings and sculpture in museums and private collections around the world. This particular painting is very likely to be the earliest known painting of Chaturmukha Mahakala yet seen. Identifying the last of the lineage figures places the composition in the late 15th century. (See the Himalayan Art Resources website for more on this early painting of Chaturmukha, the Chaturmukha Main Page and Brahmanarupa Outline Page).

Mahakala, Chaturmukha (Four-faced Great Black One) associated with the Guhyasamaja Tantra along with the Twenty-five and Fifty Chapter Mahakala Tantras. This form of Chaturmukha with the side faces white and red in colour identifies this iconographic form as belonging to the 'Accomplishment' category from the Five Categories of Chaturmukha.

The painting was created by the Gelug Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The subject and the lineage is Sakya up until it was incorporated into the Gelug Tradition. Within the Gelug Tradition it is a minor protector deity however within the Sakya Tradition it remains the 2nd of the two principal Mahakala protector deities - after Panjarnata Mahakala.

Lineage: Vajradhara, Nagarjuna, Balimtapa, Buddhajnana, Marmedze Zangpo, Shrideva, Drime Bepa, Ratnavajra, Ratnakirti, Risula Dakini, Nyen Lotsawa, Lama Nam Ka'upa, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, Sonam Tsemo, Dragpa Gyaltsen, Sakya Pandita and Chogyal Pagpa. etc.

This list of names from the Sakya lineage corresponds with the figures and names written in the top register. Due to the abrasions and losses on the painting only three other names can be read, Tsongkhapa, Gyaltsab and Kedrubje. The last two names belong to two important students of Tsongkhapa.

At the upper left is the meditational deity Manjuvajra Guhyasamaja. Chaturmukha Mahakala is the special protector deity associated with Manjuvajra Guhyasamaja. At the upper right side is the meditational deity Ekavira Vajrabhairava. This meditational deity was also special for the teacher Tsongkhapa.

The painting contains five forms of Chaturmukha. The name Chaturmukha means 'four faces.' The five forms are known as [1] Approximation, [2] Accomplishment, [3] Performing Activities, the [4] Four Families (or activities) and [5] Demon Faces.

The large central image of the painting depicts the Accomplishment Chaturmukha identifiable by the white and red faces on each side of the central face. Slightly to the right of the head of the central figure is a smaller Approximation Chaturmukha identifiable by the two green faces on the right and left. Immediately to the right of the trident staff is Demon Faces Chaturmukha identified by the wrathful blue face, the elephant face, the buffalo face and the lion face. At the bottom center and bottom left are two more forms of the deity likely to be the Performing Activities Chaturmukha at the bottom center and then the Four Families Chaturmukha at the left.

To the lower left of the large central Chaturmukha are two female attendant figures, black Dombini and red Rakshasi. On the right side are yellow Singhali and green Chandali.

Descending at the middle left are the Sakya protectors Panjarnata Mahakala, Shri Devi and the five figures known as the Putra Mising Nga. Descending at the middle right are four retinue figures belonging to the Demon Faces Chaturmukha.

At the bottom right is the protector deity Yama Dharmaraja - related to the meditational deity Vajrabhairava. Next to him is the wealth deity Yellow Jambhala. On the bottom left side, next to Chaturmukka, is Black Jambhala.

At this time, this is the earliest known Tibetan painting of Chaturmukha Mahakala. Based on the lineage and the last two figures one of which is Khedrubje Geleg Palzang [1385-1438], it is reasonable to assume that the painting was created at some point after his passing before the lineage became longer with the addition of later lineage teachers. A date of mid to late 15th century is perfectly reasonable based on the lineage figures and identifiable names.

Hevajra Chapel, Gonkar Monastery

Incredible detail images of the Hevajra Chapel of Gonkar Monastery, Central Tibet, have been added to the Ariana Maki Photographic Archive on the Himalayan Art Resources website. This monastery belonging to the Dzongpa Tradition of Sakya is known as the home base of Khyentse Chenmo who is believed to be the founder of the Khyenri style of Tibetan art.