time travel by thangka may 1 2015
TRANSCRIPT
Time Travel by ThangkaOr, A Tale of Two Cities’ Thangkas
The Buddhist lama Tashipel, 2013.19
1210-1273Tibet, Taklung Monastery
Colors on cotton28 x 21.6 cm.
Padmasambhava as Drakpochey, 1992.344
Approx. 1550Tibet, Riwoche Monastery
Colors on cotton10x5.5
Riwoche MonasteryEastern Tibet
Ruins of Taklung MonasteryCentral Tibet
4/23/13 2
“Oral Tradition” (kagyu) Paintings from Taklung and Riwoche
Monasteries 1 Tashipel
3 Sangye Yarjon2 Kuyalwa
4 Onpo
Stuart Carey Welch
0 Phagmodrupa
Sharri
Beri
The cosmic Buddha Vairochana, 1992.58Approx. 1100
TibetColors on cotton
39x28
The cosmic Buddha Vairochana, 1991.1Approx. 1300
TibetColors on cotton
33x26.
Elements of the Taklung
Style
Jewel-Staff Mountains
Gold Throne with Turquoise
and CoralGlowing Rock Foundation
Elaborately Scrolled Cushion and Halo
Rainbow Nimbus
Taklung Elements Articulate Visionary
Spaces
Green Swirled Throne Cushion
Jeweled Shrine as Throne
Rainbow of Appearance
Mysterious Arched Structure
Overlapping Crystal Rocks
Blue of Empty Mountain Cave
Vajrayogini
Avalokiteshvara
Chakrasamvara
Shakyamuni and Disciples
Visionary Spaces for Visionary Experiences
11
Vision Meets History in the Reed Shrine at Taklung
The Reed Shrine at Taklung Monastery:Physical Site of Tashipel’s Visionary Experience
The Directional Guardians mark the
Center of the Cosmos
3 OM AH HUM SEALS visualized
being into the painting
1 Consecrating Lama VISUALIZES the Central Figure…
2 Visualized Image ENTERS the Painted Image
Sealing a Sacred Presence in a Stupa in Three Steps
The “Ye Dharma…” Formula:1 Equals fundamental content of the Buddha’s Mind2 Transforms an Art Object into a Virtual Stupa
“The Buddha has declared the causes of those things which have a cause, as well as their termination…”
B60S598 B60S571
11
3 Sangye Yarjon22 Kuyalwa
A Stupa in a Stupa(mchod rten)
13
123 7 4 5 6
The Trasmission to Tashipel
Lineage of Kagyu (“Oral Tradition”) Masters
Taklung
1: Tashipel founds Taklung Monastery
1 Tashipel
3 Sangye Yarjon2 Kuyalwa
Tashipel Thangka at Taklung Monastery
Phagmodrupa
10
2: Onpo Lama takes sacred objects from Taklung to Riwoche…
Riwoche before wartime destruction of monastery in 1950
Taklung
Riwoche
Thangka of Onpo LamaPrivate Collection
3 Onpo Reconsecrates Tashipel Painting at Riwoche
First consecration of deities with OM AH HUM formula, ca. 1210
Onpo’s Later Reconsecration ca. 1273
Tashipel the Taklung Time Traveler?
Lineage of Taklung
Kagyu Lamas
Lineage of Indian Great Adepts
Luyipa:Siddha who Eats Fish Guts
The Great Adept Jnanatapa: Previous Reincarnation of Onpo ca 1350Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Nyingma and Kagyu Fusion at
RiwocheKagyu Lamas
Padmasambhava
Pema Lingpa’s Successor as a Nyingma Treasure Finder
Gold-on-Red Riwoche Stupa on Reverse
Tai Situ Choku Gocha of RiwochePrivate Collection
17
Taklung Kagyu and Nyingma
Together
*Padmasambhava!
4 Onpo
3 Sangye Yarjon2 Kuyal
Phagmo Drupa 1 Tashipel
Rainbow Nimbus Simplified
Crystal Towers Wider
Cushion Now 2-tone
Later Riwoche Painting Series:
Simplified and Intentional Archaism in the 17th Century
Jig ten wangchuk of RiwochePrivate Collection
Red Stupa with Gold Lettering on
Small Format Painting:
A Key Riwoche Diagnostic
Reverse of the Pema Totreng
Thangka
Glowing Rock Foundation
Gold-Flecked Halo for Fierce Deities
Padmasambhava asGuru Drakpochey =
“Lotus Skull Garland”
Padmasambhava, 8th C
Pema Lingpa, 16th CTerma Treasure = Drakpo Metreng
= “Fierce Garland of Fire”
A Color-Coded Skull Garland:The “Five Families of Totreng”
Vision
Pema Totreng = “Lotus Skull Garland” = Guru Drakpochey
Drakpochey’s Right Side
Staff with Three Decomposing Heads(khatvanga)
Pointed Wings with Flaming Gems
Scorpion Eats a Human Head-First
Drakpochey’s Left Side Vajra / Dorje
Pointed Wings with Gold Vajras
Gold Cape
Flayed Elephant with Bloody Trunk
Flayed Human with Missing Head
Symbolism of the Central
Image
Experience of Union of
Opposites that is Vajrayana Buddhist
Enlightenment
Naga-like Figures in Supplication
Red-Robed Historical Figure (?)Bonpo Priest (?)
The Power of the Padma:
Overcoming Obstacles
Treasure Guardian
Dakini Treasure Guardian
Insulating and Transmitting
the Power
Dakini Script (khandro): Coded Language of the Terma
30
SimhavaktraDakini
“sky-walker”
Padmasambhava
Ratna Lingpa“treasure-
finder”(terton)
Padmasamhava, the Terton Ratna
Lingpa, and Simhavaktra Dakini
31
A Partial Treasure Cycle in Card
Form from Riwoche
A Mandala of TsakaliHimalayan Galleries
Metropolitan Museum of Art
33
Lineages of Reincarnating
Lamasin the 17th
century:Further Conscious
Archaism
Sacred Environments in 14th Century
Taklung and Riwoche Styles:
Jewel Staves and Continuous Lineages
16Archaic Motifs at 16th century Riwoche
*Nyingma and Kagyu Fusion*Transmission of Terma by
Art
Taklung Artwork as a Means of Transmitting Sacred Power Across Time and Space