Ekadashamukha Avalokiteshvara (Image)
Thangka, painting
Cotton support with opaque mineral pigments in waterbased (collagen) binder
26.0 x 39.5 inches
Painted area only Central Tibet
Ca. 18th or 19th century
Museum #: 93.015
By Chaya Chandrasekhar
3 June, 1998
Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of absolute compassion, is one of the most
important deities of Tibetan Buddhism. Literally, his name means "Lord
who [mercifully] looks Down upon the world." He is the primary Bodhisattva
of the jina Buddha Amitabha, who presides over the present kalpa, or eon.
Avalokiteshvara's association with Amitabha, as well as the Bodhisattva's
ability to aid all those in need of his help, has made him one of the most
popular deities of lay devotion. However, as a demonstration of the compassion
of all Buddhas, Avalokiteshvara also plays an important role in Tantric
Buddhism. Although dressed as an Indian prince and bearing other Bodhisattva
attributes, in several contexts, Avalokiteshvara is a fully enlightened
Buddha. As the main meditational deity of various Tantras, he functions
as the arya, or central figure, from whom all other deities emanate (The
Seventh Dalai Lama, 191).
In the SAMA painting, Avalokiteshvara is shown in his Ekadasamukha, or eleven-headed,
form presiding over his perfected land, Potolaka. He is shown with eight
arms, the main pair held against his chest, concealing the jewel of enlightenment.
Through devotion to Avalokiteshvara, the jewel is made visible to those
who attain the religious goal. In his upper right and left hands, he holds
prayer beads and a lotus, respectively. Prayer beads are used for the recitation
of Avalokiteshvara's main mantra, OM MANI PADME HUM. Each syllable
in the mantra represents one of the six realms of rebirth, namely the heaven
worlds of the devas; the realm of the asuras; the saha,
or human world; the animal realm, the pretaloka, or realm of the
hungry ghosts; and the various hells. Avalokiteshvara may appear in any
of the six realms to help those in need. The lotus, in his left hand, symbolizes
the potential of enlightenment through the realization of absolute compassion
(Rhie & Thurman, 143). In his middle hands, he holds a chakra,
or wheel, and a bow and arrow. These represent the Buddhist teachings and
the attainment of wisdom through meditation, respectively. His lower right
hand is in varada, or bestowal, gesture. A small kundika,
or jar containing ambrosia, is held in his lower left hand (Rhie & Thurman,
143).
His eleven heads symbolize the dasabhumis, or ten stages of enlightenment.
The eleventh head, seen above all the rest, is that of Avalokiteshvara's
progenitor, the Buddha Amitabha. This visual association further attests
to Avalokiteshvara's existence as a fully enlightened Buddha (Rhie &
Thurman, 143).
Despite what appears to be an elaborate, complicated painting, the fundamental
message it communicates is the potential of one's own enlightenment through
the belief in Avalokiteshvara. This idea is communicated individually, through
each figure, as well as through specific groups within the painting. The
figures along the vertical axis of the painting communicate the message
of potential enlightenment through the thrikaya, or body of the three
states of Buddhist existence, system. The thrikaya is another method
by which the enlightenment process is defined and illustrated. Hayagriva,
a fierce emanation of Avalokiteshvara who through his ardent compassion
goes forward and helps all those in need, is depicted at the bottom. Above
him, riding on a white lion, is Simhanada, a second form of the Bodhisattva.
The main eleven-headed Avalokiteshvara is shown above Simhanada. These three
deities together, represent the first state of the thrikaya, namely
the nirmanakaya aspect. The Nirmanakaya, or transformational body, figures
are considered to be enlightened beings who manifest themselves in the earthly
realm. They are the more accessible, direct archetypes of religious attainment.
The image of the two-armed jina Buddha Amitabha, seated in meditation above
Ekadasamukha Avalokiteshvara, represents the Sambhoghakaya. The Sambhoghakaya,
or "bliss body," refers to the state of ecstatic rapture into
which a Nirmanakaya figure enters to contemplate on his or her own enlightenment.
In essence, the Sambhoghakaya figures do not have a physical, corporeal
existence as they are merely the definition of the enlightenment of the
Nirmanakaya deities.
Above the image of Amitabha, is the four-headed Buddha Sarvavid Vairochana
of the Sarvadurgati Parishodana Tantra. Sarvavid, literally meaning
"Universal Knowledge," Vairochana represents the Dharmakaya. The
Dharmakaya is the manifestation of the exemplary mode of behavior directed
by the totality of Buddhist teachings, or Dharma. The Dharmakaya state is
identical to shunyata, the absolute void, which can be understood
only through direct experience. Sarvavid Vairochana is thus the personification
of the Dharma, and the subsequent realization of shunyata. The five
Jina Buddhas are depicted above Sarvavid Vairochana, at the top center.
Together, they define the enlightenment of the figures along the axis.
Other forms of Avalokiteshvara, creating the favorable environment of Potolaka,
are included in the painting. The most common form, repeated several times
in the composition, is that of Shadakshari Avalokiteshvara. Shadakshari,
or the "Six syllabled one," is a personification of the mantra,
"OM MANI PADME HUM." This mantra is repeated constantly by those
seeking release (Rhie & Thurman, 144) through Avalokiteshvara. Shadakshari
is usually shown as a seated, four-armed figure. Like Ekadasamukha Avalokiteshvara,
Shadakshari holds prayer beads and a lotus in his upper left and right hands,
while his primary hands, held against his chest, make the gesture of concealing
the jewel of enlightenment. Shadakshari is particularly important in Tibet
as the Dalai Lama is considered to be the earthly reincarnation of this
specific form of Avalokiteshvara (Rhie & Thurman, 145).
On either side of Hayagriva, along the bottom of the painting, are images
of the four lokapala, or guardian kings. Virudhaka carrying a sword and
Dhritarashtra with his stringed-instrument, vina, are depicted on
the proper right side. On the proper left are Virupaksha with a miniature
chaitya and Vaishravana with his characteristic mongoose. The four lokapala,
who are traditionally positioned on the fourth terrace of Mount Meru serve
to mark and protect the sacred environment of Potolaka. The lokapala further
indicate that potolaka is conceptually identical to Mount Meru and Ekadasamukha
Avalokiteshvara is a fully enlightened Buddha at the top of the mountain.
Paintings such as these were common offerings by those seeking to accrue
merit for deceased family members. By doing so, devotees ensured their relatives
a better rebirth. Specifically, this painting belonged to the Nyingma tradition
as indicated by the red-capped monks depicted in the top left and right
corners.
References:
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