Kham Region, Eastern Tibet
19th century
The right hand is extended in a giving gesture.
Kham Region, Eastern Tibet
19th century
In late 1726, before building Pelpung Monastery, Situ Panchen (1700-1774) began sketching a major set of paintings depicting the stories of Shakyamuni Buddha’s previous lives (jataka). It was presumably based on a painting from the “Hundred Jatakas” cycle associated with the Third Karmapa, though Tibetan sources do not specify which model he followed. Some nineteen years later Situ gave the text transmission for the “Hundred Jatakas” to the young Thirteenth Karmapa as one of his first teachings. The painting shows episodes 11 through 19, which are arranged as below: 11. Shakra: A Tale of Bravery12. The Brahman: A Tale of Conscience13. She Who Drives Men Mad: A Tale of Self-Control14. Suparaga: Depending on the Virtuous as Friends15. The Fish: The Rewards of Virtue16. The Baby Quail: The Power of Honesty17. The Jar of Liquor: The Virtuous Turning Others from Evil18. The Wealthy Prince: The Virtue of Detachment from Worldly Concerns19. The Lotus Roots: A Tale of Understanding
The right hand is extended in a giving gesture.
Also known as vajra position, this posture is associated with meditation.
A state of “waking up” from illusion and seeing the true nature of reality. Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment while meditating under the bodhi tree. Buddhist teaching explains that the accumulation of merit and wisdom are essential for achieving enlightenment, also known as awakening.
In Buddhism time is perceived as relative, dynamic, and conceptual. This outlook highlights important principles of interdependence within Buddhist philosophy.
Buddhists believe identity is not fixed but is variable and dependent on causes and conditions. It is a temporary, transitional, and ever-changing interplay of mental and physical elements.
An awakened being who understands the true nature of reality and is free from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. While there are many buddhas, Siddhartha Gautama is the historical Buddha, whose teachings became the foundation of Buddhism.
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.
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