048
The Jina Buddha, Guhyasamaja Aksobhyavajra, and the Buddhas of the Guhyasamaja
Cycle
Thangka, painting
Cotton support with opaque mineral pigments in waterbased (collagen) binder
26.0 x 37.75 inches
Eastern Tibet (Kham region)
Ca. 16th or 17th century
Karma Gadri style
The Guhyasamaja ("Secret Assembly") is a principle esoteric meditation.
In this meditation, the deities are generated by Guhyasamaja Aksobhyavajra
who is shown in the center with his prajna, Sparshavajri. Clockwise from
the bottom center are the secret forms of the jina Buddhas and their prajnas
(female counterparts): Vairochana, Lochana, Ratnasambhava, Mamaki, Amitabha,
Panduravasini, Amoghasiddhi, and Shyama Tara. The treatment of the landscape
and the tradition of leaving areas of the surface unpainted, exhibit direct
Chinese influence and are characteristic of the Karma Gadri style. Two additional
Karma Gadri traits evident in this painting are the finely woven cotton
support and the almost invisible inscriptions under each figure. (How many
can you find?)
Sonal Patel
Guhyasamaja Akshobhyavajra Essay
Museum #: 94.003
Huntington Archive Image Scan #: T1035