Derge Printing House, Derge, Kham Region, Eastern Tibet
ca. 1979
This is the gesture of the Buddha calling the earth to witness his awakening.
Derge Printing House, Derge, Kham Region, Eastern Tibet
ca. 1979
This print is from a set of nine compositions of the Eight Chariots of the Practice Lineage, which describe the eight schools of Buddhism that flourished in Tibet according to the classification system of the famous Derge scholar Jamgon Kongtrul (1813–1899). A practice lineage, known as drup gyu (Tib. sgrub brgyud), is a lineage of masters where the emphasis is one’s personal experience of the teachings as contrasted with expounding the scriptures in the scholastic lineage known as she gyu (Tib. bshad brgyud). This is the central composition of the set, depicting the founding figures of Buddhism in Tibet as the root of the Ancient (Nyingma) tradition: the Abbot, the Master (Acharya), and the Dharma King—Shantarakshita, Padmasambhava, and King Tri Songdetsen (742–796). It includes a depiction of Tibet’s first monastery, Samye (center left). For the central figure Padmasambhava’s biography, see here.
This woodblock print was printed at the Derge Printing House in the Kham region of southeastern Tibet (modern-day Ganzi, Sichuan Province, PRC). Founded in 1729, it is one of the largest and most important producers of traditional Tibetan woodblock prints. The drawing/painting model (par tsa) for six of the compositions in this set, including this one, are by the painter Tangla Tsewang (1902–1989), a Karma Gardri painting master and scholar from nearby Pelpung Monastery, as well as scribe and court painter to the eleventh incarnation of the Situ hierarchs. Compositions by Tangla Tsewang in this set all have color notations, letters indicating which color to use.
This is the gesture of the Buddha calling the earth to witness his awakening.
The hands form the shape of a wheel, symbolizing the “turning of the wheel of dharma,” a reference to teaching the Buddha’s doctrine.
This gesture is that of embracing a consort and is symbolic of bringing together two aspects of enlightenment: wisdom and method.
The right hand is extended in a giving gesture.
Also known as vajra position, this posture is associated with meditation.
This relaxed posture is commonly associated with regal leisure.
A religious movement that originated in India around the fifth to seventh century with sacred writings and esoteric teachings and practices transmitted from teacher to student through initiation. These remain an important part of Hinduism and Buddhism today.
The passing down of authentic Buddhist teachings from a teacher to a disciple or student, often in the form of a text in a ritualistic context.
The transmission of teachings from one generation to the next, from teacher to student, traced all the way back to the Buddha without interruption. A complete lineage is essential in Tantric Buddhist practices as it makes the blessings of the teaching more powerful.
Himalayan art includes portraits of legendary and historical humans, including accomplished religious teachers (lamas), the Buddha’s original disciples (arhats), and spiritually accomplished tantric masters (mahasiddhas).
Tantric deities personify various enlightened qualities and are the focus of esoteric religious practices (tantras) that aim to swiftly and radically transform one’s understanding of reality.
Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.
Woodblock printing became an important technology of production, propagation, and cross-cultural exchange of both text and image in Tibetan, Himalayan, and Inner Asian regions from the 12th century on.
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