Bhutan
19th century
Bhutan
19th century
This painting depicts Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594–1651), a teacher of the Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and founder of the theocratic state of Bhutan. Zhabdrung can be recognized by his long tapering beard and a broad red fan-like meditation hat.
Also known as vajra position, this posture is associated with meditation.
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.
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.
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).
Bhutan’s earliest Buddhist temples were built in the 7th century, around the same time Buddhism was introduced in Tibet. In the 17th century, Mongol-backed Geluk authorities drove many Kagyu teachers from Tibet to Bhutanese areas. The Drukpa Kagyu teacher Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (1594–1651) unified these regions and established a system of government.
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