Item: Teacher (Lama) - Rigdzin Kunzang Sherab

Kunzang Sherab, Rigdzin (1636-1698): founder of Payul Monastery in 1665. He was a student of Karma Chagme and the teacher of Migyur Dorje. (See another painting in the same tradition by the same artist HAR #369).

Biographical Details

At the top center is Samantabhadra with consort and on the left blue Vajradhara and red Amitabha. On the right side is white Avalokiteshvara Chaturbhuja and Buddha Dipamkara. Below Samantabhadra is Padmasambhava as the Nirmanakaya and to the left blue Dharmakaya Vajra and Buddha Shakyamuni, with Medicine Guru Buddha below. On the right is Sambhogakaya Amitayus with consort and a Buddha figure with the hands in the teaching gesture (mudra). Below that is red Guhyasamaja with consort. Both are red in colour with one face and two hands. The male figure holds with the right hand a garland of beads at the heart and in the left a vase supported in the lap.

At the middle left is Terton Migyur Dorje. At the middle right is Karma Chagme.

At the lower right is the Dakini Simhamukha, blue in colur, with a lion-face. Below that is the frightful worldly protector Dorje Legpa riding a snow lion.

At the lower left is the meditational deity Guru Dragpo, red, with one face and two hands. Below that is the yellow lord of wealth, Arya Jambhala. At the bottom center is the enlightened Dharma protector Maning Mahakala.

Jeff Watt 4-2000

Front of Painting
Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: center: rig 'dzin kun bzang shes rab.

Starting at the top left: ... rdo rje chang chen. kun bzang yab yum. spyan ras gzigs. mar me mdze. sha' kya thub pa. chos sku rdo rje la na mo. sprul sku thod. longs sku tshe dphag med yab yum. ... s pa mgon. sman lha. gsang ba 'dus pa yab yum. gter ston mi 'gyur rdo rje la na mo. mkhas grub karma chags med la na mo. yi dam gu ru drag po la na mo. mkha' gro seng gdong. dzam lha ser po. ... nag po. ...