A spectacular
gold thangka depicting the important deities and historical figures of the Buddhist
Kagyu lineage. With so many gurus and deities in
Tibetan Buddhism, it is not surprising that, with time, these came to be depicted in art as a kind of genealogical tree showing the lineage of various traditions of Buddhism.
Vajradhara, the highest deity in the Buddhist pantheon, representing the essence of Buddhism, occupies the centre of the image. Above sit various important incarnations such as
Marpa, Milarepa,
Tilopa and
Naropa. To Vajradhara's right sit the
Karmapas, on the left are the Sharmapas. Below are
dharmapalas,
Vajaradharasakti on the right and
Chengrezisakti on the left. At the right centre of the thangka, outside the main tree is the Chengrezi family, on the left the Buddha family, while under the tree can be seen devotees praying. The tree stands in life-giving waters, rising up to the heavens above, where
Sakyamuni Buddha sits on the right.
It is incredibly difficult to take pictures of gold thangkas which do them justice. However, gold thangkas look spectacular under the right conditions, particularly if displayed with a light directed towards the piece. Should you want to see any more pictures of this, or of any of the other art on our site, please don't hesitate to contact us.