Vajrapani, or “Vajra Holder,” is seated in a relaxed pose holding up his identifying attribute, a vajra scepter. His princely jewelry is simple and restrained. The spiraling flourish at the end of his robe elegantly echoes the holes in the rocky landscape.Tibetan paintings are often created in sets, where a single theme is distributed among a number of canvases. This painting belongs to a set presenting the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, a group of Buddhist deities that represent Mahayana teachings. While the theme of this set is standard, these paintings are very unusual. They do not follow textual descriptions or other standard Tibetan visual conventions. We know a great deal about the creation of this set thanks to the detailed diaries of its patron, the great scholar and artist Situ Panchen (1700–1772). In 1732 he engaged the painter Trinle Rabphel of Karsho, a region in Kham Province, eastern Tibet, famous for artists. Situ had him trace an older painting by the great sixteenth-century artist Konchok Phende. These tracings were then painted by a group of artists from Karsho at Situ’s request.

Artwork Details

Title
Vajrapani (From Situ's set of Eight Great Bodhisattvas)
Dimensions
41 3/4 x 21 1/2 x 1/2 in. (106 x 54.6 x 1.3 cm)
Medium
Pigments on cloth
Origin
Kham Province, Eastern Tibet
Classification(s)
scroll painting paintings
Date
19th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation
Object number
F1997.40.5
Bibliography
Patron and Painter: Situ Panchen and the Revival of the Encampment Style
HAR Number
586
Published references
* David P. Jackson. Patron and Painter: Situ Panchen and the Revival of the Encampment Style. (New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2009). Fig. 10.5; Pp. 223, 227, 248.* Rob Linrothe and Jeff Watt. Demonic Divine in Himalayan Art and Beyond. (New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2004). Cat. No. 66; Pp. 28, 250, 252-253, 255, 299, 310.* Marylin M. Rhie and Robert A.F. Thurman. Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art and Wisdom of Compassion. (New York: Tibet House, 1999). Plate 11; Pp. 104-105.*Debreczeny, Karl. "Situ Panchen's Artistic Legacy in 'Jang." Journal of the International Association of Tibetan Studies, no. 7 (August 2013): 193-276.http://www.thlib.org/collections/texts/jiats/#!jiats=/07/debreczeny/ Fig. 21.*Debreczeny, Karl. Palace Museum Journal 2011. pp. 101-139. Fig 5, p. 102.

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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.

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Transmission

Concepts

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.

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Merit

Concepts

In Buddhism merit is accumulated through engaging in positive actions that lead to positive results, such as better rebirths. Buddhists gain merit by making offerings, donating to those in need, reciting mantras, and other good deeds.

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Bodhisattvas

Figure Type

Beings who aspire to become fully awakened like the Buddha and are dedicated to helping others on the path to enlightenment.

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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.

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