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Lot Essay
This finely painted thangka of Tsongkhapa (1357-1419) depicts the founder of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism seated on a lotus throne, his hands in dharmachakramudra while holding the stems of two lotus flowers supporting a sword and a book. He is flanked by two students and surrounded by various scenes from his life related to the numerous teachings and initiations he gave his followers. The details of the painting, particularly the intricate treatment of the robes and portrait-like faces of the various figures, are noteworthy, especially for such a large example. Each vignette contains an inscription painted in gold describing the particular nature of the scene. The inscriptions translate to (see illustration below):
1. At the age of nineteen he makes a pilgrimage to Sang Phu and Dewa Can;
2. At Gung Thang, a group of cattle involuntarily took him in front of Konchok kyab where he learned about medicine;
3. When he travelled to Zhalu, he received the empowerment of thirteen deities of Chakrasamvara from the heart son Nam Gyal;
4. At Chozong, he had an audience with Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen and received the empowerment and blessings of Chakrasamvara and Panjaratna Mahakala;
5. He travelled to the jungle of Drigung and recieved the teaching of the Boddhicitta of Mahayana from Spyan Snga Chos Kyi Rgyal Po;
6. At age of seven he received the novice ordination from Cho Je Rin Chen Don Grub;
7. He travelled to central Tibet along with Grigungpa;
8. Before he took the novice vow, he was brought to the vehicle of Vajrayana by dharma master Don Grub Rin Chen;
9. He was born in the Tsokha region of Amdo, his mother was Shingza Acho and his father was Lubum Ge;
10. He took lay Upasaka vows from the fourth Karmapa Rol Pai Dorjee and received the name Kunga Nyingpo.
On 27 November 1975 this thangka was the subject of discussion by the venerable Geshe Lobsang Tharchin on a visit to the owner in West Palm Beach Florida. Rinpoche described the different scenes, including the vignette on the bottom right where the young Tsongkhapa meets the Buddha:
“When Buddha was present in India, Tsongkhapa was born as a son of Brahma. He met a bhiksu, a monk whose name meant wishing for wisdom. One day, this monk took Tsongkhapa to Shakyamuni, the Buddha, and Tsongkhapa offered him a mala made of one hundred pieces of white, pure crystal-clear glass in order to perceive directly what is called Sunyata.”
1. At the age of nineteen he makes a pilgrimage to Sang Phu and Dewa Can;
2. At Gung Thang, a group of cattle involuntarily took him in front of Konchok kyab where he learned about medicine;
3. When he travelled to Zhalu, he received the empowerment of thirteen deities of Chakrasamvara from the heart son Nam Gyal;
4. At Chozong, he had an audience with Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen and received the empowerment and blessings of Chakrasamvara and Panjaratna Mahakala;
5. He travelled to the jungle of Drigung and recieved the teaching of the Boddhicitta of Mahayana from Spyan Snga Chos Kyi Rgyal Po;
6. At age of seven he received the novice ordination from Cho Je Rin Chen Don Grub;
7. He travelled to central Tibet along with Grigungpa;
8. Before he took the novice vow, he was brought to the vehicle of Vajrayana by dharma master Don Grub Rin Chen;
9. He was born in the Tsokha region of Amdo, his mother was Shingza Acho and his father was Lubum Ge;
10. He took lay Upasaka vows from the fourth Karmapa Rol Pai Dorjee and received the name Kunga Nyingpo.
On 27 November 1975 this thangka was the subject of discussion by the venerable Geshe Lobsang Tharchin on a visit to the owner in West Palm Beach Florida. Rinpoche described the different scenes, including the vignette on the bottom right where the young Tsongkhapa meets the Buddha:
“When Buddha was present in India, Tsongkhapa was born as a son of Brahma. He met a bhiksu, a monk whose name meant wishing for wisdom. One day, this monk took Tsongkhapa to Shakyamuni, the Buddha, and Tsongkhapa offered him a mala made of one hundred pieces of white, pure crystal-clear glass in order to perceive directly what is called Sunyata.”