Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva & Buddhist Deity) - Chaturbhuja (4 hands)

སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས། 观音菩萨
(item no. 1338)
Lineages Buddhist
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Paper
Collection Private
Notes about the Central Figure

Alternate Names: Lokeshvara Avalokita Lokanata Lokanatha Mahakarunika

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Peaceful

Gender: Male

Interpretation / Description

Avalokiteshvara, Chaturbhuja (Tibetan: chen re zi, chag shi pa. English: the All Seeing Lord with Four Hands). Artist: Anan Im, New York, 2023.

"As the nature of all buddhas, Avalokiteshvara, in colour like stainless conch and crystal, very resplendent, smiling, peaceful and radiant. With four hands the first are folded at the heart, the lower hold a crystal mala and jewelled lotus, two beautiful feet seated in vajra posture, adorned with many attractive silks and jewels, beautified with dark blue hair in tufts [some] loose. On the crown of the head, the wisdom of all buddhas, is the Lord, source of all refuge gathered as one, in essence the Guru in the aspect of Amitabha, in the manner of the Lord of the Family, seated happily." (Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub 1497-1557).

"To the Lord unstained by faults, white in colour,
The head adorned with the perfect buddha,
Gazing on beings with eyes of compassion;
To Avalokiteshvara I bow."
(The verse is attributed to the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo, 557-649).

Jeff Watt [added 1-2024]

Related Items
Thematic Sets
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara, Chaturbhuja (Without a Krishnasara)
Iconography: Buddhist Art & Tantric Iconography