Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Teacher (Lama) - Wangdu Nyingpo, Sakya Tridzin 32

བླ་མ། 喇嘛
(item no. 617)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1700 - 1799
Lineages Sakya
Size 59.06x44.45cm (23.25x17.50in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Catalogue # acc.# F1998.5.2
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Person

Appearance: Lay Person

Gender: Male

TBRC: bdr:P807

Interpretation / Description

Wangdu Nyingpo, Tuchen (c.1763-c.1806): Patriarch of the Khon Family, the 32nd Sakya Tridzin, the second Padmasambhava of this age and a renowned Terton (finder of Revealed Treasure), surrounded by tutelary deities and the figures of previous lives.

Biographical Details

"To the buddhas of the three times as the second Oddiyana. Protector with all gathered power over the animate and inanimate. Subduer of wrong doers, possessing the essence of the path entwined as the great bliss of the four joys together with wisdom, compassion and power. I pray, pacify obstacles of daemons and bhutas, and bestow the blessing of attainments - making aspirations spontaneous." (Dragshul Trinley Rinchen, 1871-1935).

The two present day palaces (Tibetan: pho drang) of Sakya and branches of the Khon family, the Drolma and Puntsog, were founded by the two sons of Wangdu Nyingpo, Padma Dudul Wangchug and Kunga Rinchen respectively.

At the top center is the primordial Buddha Vajradhara, blue in colour, with the Indian Mahasiddha Virupa at the left and Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, first of the five Sakya patriarchs, at the right.

At the bottom left is an unidentified Sakya teacher wearing the traditional white lower garment of the Khon family, the pandita hat with the lappets folded back over the crown and a kila tucked into the waist sash. On the right side is a teacher wearing monastic robes.

Jeff Watt 11-2000 (revised 8-2003)

Front of Painting
Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: dpal sa skya pa 'jig rten dbang 'dus snying po la na mo.

Reverse of Painting
Special Features: (includes "Om Ah Hum" inscription)

Secondary Images
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