Padmasambhava and the Eight Great Mahasiddhas

Artwork Details

Title: Padmasambhava and the Eight Great Mahasiddhas

Dimensions: 45 1/4 × 29 3/4 in. (estimated)

Medium: Pigments on cloth

Origin: Kham Province, Eastern Tibet

Classification(s): paintings

Date: 19th century

Credit Line: Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art

Object number: C2007.13.1

HAR Number: 65780

Published references: * David P. Jackson. The Place of Provenance: Regional Styles in Tibetan Painting. (New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2012). Fig. 5.16. Pp. 103-104, 112* David P. Jackson. Patron and Painter: Situ Panchen and the Revival of the Encampment Style. (New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2009). Fig. 7.20; Pp. 150-152.* Kang, Gesang Yixi. Zang chuan Gamagazi hua pai tang ka yi shu (karma sgar bris lugs kyi thang ka sgyu rtsal). Chengdu Shi: Sichuan mei shu chu ban she, 2012. Xia juan: p. 263* Kang Gesang Yixi. Gama Gazi huapai tangka (karma sgar bris lugs kyi thang ga). Beijing: Wenu chubanshe, 2015: p. 110* Skal-bzang-ye-shes, and Tshe-ring-?gyur-med. Zang zu mei shu ji cheng (bod kyi mdzes rtsal kun btus). Chengdu: Sichuan min zu chu ban she, 2015: p. 101-102

Lineage

Concepts

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.

Tantrism

Concepts

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. 

Identity

Concepts

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.

Legendary and Historical Humans

Figure Type

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).

Tibetan Regions

Region

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.