035
Jina ("Victor") Buddha Akshobhya in a Field of 200 Taras from
a Set of Five Paintings of the Jinas with 1000 Taras
Thangka, painting
Cotton support with opaque mineral pigments in waterbased (collagen) binder
Size?
Indeterminate region
Ca. 16th or 17th century
Indeterminate style
These two paintings were part of a set of five that depicted the jina Buddhas,
each surrounded by two hundred images of Tara. The two forms of Tara alternating
in the field behind the Buddhas are Shyama ("Beautiful, Dark")
Tara and Sita ("White") Tara. As the "Mother of all Buddhas,"
Tara is herself a Buddha. Thus, the group of 1000 Taras, that would have
been illustrated in this set, is indicative of her role as the mother of
the 1000 Buddhas described in the Arya-bhadra-kalpa-sutra. As a whole set,
the five jina Buddhas describe the components of enlightenemnt and the "Buddha-mothers"
describe the methods of attainment.
Kim Masteller
Museum #: 97.278
Huntington Archive Image Scan #: T1044