Item: Arhat/Sthavira (Buddhist Elder) - (multiple figures)

Nagasena and Abheda, Elders (sthavira): from a set of paintings depicting Shakyamuni Buddha and the Sixteen Elders, along with attendants and the Four Guardian Kings. The full set is likely to be nine compositions in total following the standard depictions according to the Bengali scholar Atisha and the Kashmiri Pandiita Shakyashri Bhadra.

Nagasena the Elder (Tibetan: ne ten, lu'i de. Sanskrit: Sthavira Nagasena) and Abheda, the Elder (Tibetan: ne ten, mi che pa. Sanskrit: Sthavira Abheda): from the set of 16 great arhats. Tibetan: Neten Lu'i De (gnas brtan klu'i sde).

"On the King of Mountains, Vipulopa is the noble elder Nagasena, surrounded by 1,200 arhats; homage to the One holding a vase and a khakkhara staff." (Sakya liturgical verse).

"On the King of Snow Mountains is the noble elder Abheda, surrounded by 1,100 arhats; homage to the One holding an enlightenment stupa." (Sakya liturgical text).

At the top are four of the Thirty-five Confession Buddhas. The full set of compositions would contain the complete set of thirty-five buddha figures.

Jeff Watt 4-2017 [updated 12-2018]