Chakrasamvara and the Footprints of Drigungpa Jikten Sumgon (1143–1217)

This drawing was not meant to be hung on the wall as a work of art, but once folded, and possibly placed in an amulet, it was intended solely for veneration. It is composed around the footprints, which share a lotus throne with the deity at their center. The shapes of the footprints have certainly been idealized, but the spot at the lower left may well have resulted from the application of original prints. Although not painted, all of the figures have been executed in great detail. Beside black, red was used to accentuate features and for the captions identifying the figures. At the center of this drawing the deity Chakrasamvara shares his throne with the footprints of a Tibetan teacher, likely those of Jikten Sumgon, the founder of the Drigung Kagyu School (1143–1217). This teacher, depicted in the center of the second row, concludes the teaching lineage that begins in the top row. He is flanked by the five female and male deities of the Guhyasamaja Tantra. To the sides are eight great mahasiddhas presented in a form typical for early Drigung Kagyu School painting, and in the bottom row are eight protector deities, including Four armed Mahakala, Jambhala, Ganapati, and Pelden Lhamo.