Item: Teacher (Lama) - Putowa Rinchen Sal

Putowa Rinchen Sal (1027-1105): from the group of three main students of Dromton Gyalwa'i Jungne in the Kadampa Lineage of Jowo Atisha.

Biographical Details

Elegant and disciplined with the eyes gazing forward he wears a thin moustache, goatee and sideburns following the line of receding hair. Held in the right hand is an unadorned walking stick cut from a stalk of cane. In the left held across the knee he holds a string (mala) of prayer beads. Wearing the orange and red patchwork robes of a fully ordained monk (bhikshu) he sits in vajra posture with the two legs interlocked atop an orange patchwork mat above a low throne with a backrest, decorated with wishing jewels. The small green table in front supports a gold incense burner, black begging bowl, gold water flask and a blue flower vase. Resting in front is a placid deer. Putowa served as the abbot of Reting Monastery (founded by Dromton 1005-1064) and under his guidance the Kadampa School achieved a great deal of renown.

At the top left on a bank of clouds is a mahasiddha wearing flowers in the hair and attired in various coloured garments. The right hand is held in the mudra of blessing (gesture) and the left casually placed across the knee, seated in a relaxed posture (no name inscription found).

At the right side is Acharya Vidyakokila (elder/younger?) performing the gesture of fearlessness with the right hand and blessing gesture with the left. Wearing the robes of a monk and a pandita hat he is seated on a monk's mat in a relaxed posture. Between the two figures, an idyllic monastery setting is placed among forested hills with a row of chaitya (stupa) reliquary structures on an upper ridge.

At the lower right, Geshe Dolwa Sherab Gyatso (1059-1131) sits in the posture of meditation, attired neatly in the orange robes of a monk. A store of precious jewels and red coral is crowded at the edge of a blue circular pond. (The name inscription is written in fine gold lettering).

Jeff Watt 2-99

Front of Painting
Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: [?] ris [?] khyo 'u [?] la na mo. Dge ba'i bshes nyen bu to wa rin chen gsal la na mo. Dge bshes rol pa she rab rgyal mtshan la na mo.

Thematic Sets
Tradition: Kadampa Teachers (Paintings)
Painting Set: Kadampa & Kagyu Teachers
Collection of Shelley & Donald Rubin
Subject: Navigation Quick Guide