Item: Teacher (Lama) - (unidentified, male, lay)

Dzamling Chegu Wangdu (1855–1919) or Dragshul Thinley Rinchen (1871-1936).

There are two strong possibilities for the identification of this Khon family Sakya teacher. The first possibility is Dzamling Chegu Wangdu of the Puntsog Palace or Dragshul Thinley Rinchen of the Drolma Palace of Sakya Town, Tibet. The son of Dzamling Chegu Wangdu was Ngagwang Tutob Wangchug (1900–1950) and was not known to be a strong Shugden Practitioner. Dragshul Thinley Rinchen states in his diary that Dorje Shugden was an emanation of Avalokiteshvara and that his own father, Kunga Nyingpo (19th century), was an emanation of Dorje Shugden. Ngagwang Kunga Rinchen (1902–1950), the son of Dragshul Thinley Rinchen, was not known to be a Shugden practitioner.

The central figure wears a pandita hat with the lappets folded across the top. The right hand extended forward across the knee holds a wish fulfilling jewel and the stem of a flower blossom supporting a sword and book. The left hand placed in the lap holds a long-life vase and the stem of a flower blossom supporting an eight-spoked Dharma Wheel. The attribute of a Dharma Wheel can indicate a relationship with the bodhisattva Maitreya or indicative of sovereign leadership such as with Tibetan Kings, or the 5th, 13th and 14th Dalai Lamas. The attribute of a long-life vase in the hand can indicate that the person depicted was alive at the time of the commissioning of the painting. Of course with teachers such as Tangtong Gyalpo and Yutog Yontan Gonpo the long-life vase is representative of their main attribute associated with healing and long-life teachings and practices.

At the top center are two small figures, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo on the left and an unidentified monastic figure on the right. At the top left side is Shri Hevajra and on the left side is the Donkey-faced Chakrasamvara. Below Hevajra in a small rainbow circle is Panajrnata Mahakala, Shri Devi and Brahmanarupa Mahakala. On the right side below Chakrasamvara are Legden Mahakala, Magzor Gyalmo and an unidentified worldly protector. The presence of the protector Magzor Gyalmo, the special protector of the Puntsog Palace, could be an indication that the central figure is Dzamling Chegu Wangdu.

Below the central teacher to the left is 'Secret Accomplishment' Hayagriva, red in colour, with three faces, six arms and eight legs. On the right side is the female power deity Kurukulla, red in colour, with one face and four arms, standing in a dancing posture. Slightly below Kurukulla are the two small figures of Begtse Chen and Vaishravana Riding a Lion. The inclusion of meditational deities Hayagriva and Kurukulla in the composition may be unrelated to the depiction of the Khon teacher and related more to the meditation preferences of the commissioner of the overall painting.

At the lower left is a skeleton palace depicting and the upper figure depicting the Trode Khangsar Lhakang, a very small temple in Lhasa, form of Dorje Shugden seated on a throne. Below that is Dorje Shugden Riding a Black Horse accompanied by four attendant figures, Buddha, semi-peaceful, white, riding an elephant mount, Ratna, peaceful, yellow, riding a horse mount, Padma, wrathful, red, riding a dragon mount and Karma, wrathful, dark red, riding a garuda mount. Outside of the skeleton palace are four further retinue protector deities including a Rahula with nine heads and four arms.

The five deity configuration of Dorje Shugden known as the 'Five Kings' was written and popularized in the first quarter of the 20th century by Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo (1878-1941[TBRC P230]). The original text making reference to forms of Shugden riding on different animals such as a lion, dragon and garuda was written by Morchen Kunga Lhundrub (1654-1728) in the 18th century.

Because Dzamling Chegu Wangdu passed away in 1919 and Pabongkha was still formulating and beginning to promote the Trode Khangsar temple and 'Five Kings' Dorje Shugden it is most probable that the Khon teacher represented above is Dragshul Thinley Rinchen of the Drolma Palace of Sakya (1871-1936).

Jeff Watt, 11-2024

Thematic Sets
Buddhist Deity: Dorje Shugden Tanag (Minor Figure)
Collection: Sotheby's, Paris (December, 2024)