Item: Shakyamuni Buddha - Avadana (teaching stories)

Shakyamuni Buddha and Avadana Stories.

Finely painted in the New Menri style, this thangka illustrates select narratives from the Leaves of the Heaven Tree, a collection of 108 Avadana stories composed by the Kashmiri poet Kshemendra in the 11th century. The text itself is derived from the early Buddhist Pali Canon, forming an authoritative corpus of Buddhist scripture. The painting draws inspiration from a renowned series of woodblock prints originating at Narthang Monastery, an important Gelugpa monastery located near Shigatse. The distinctive landscape design, expressive facial features, and harmonious color composition indicate a 20th-century origin. Among the stories depicted is The Pure Mind of Sumagadha (no. 93), narrating Sumagadha’s invitation to Shakyamuni Buddha to visit her home. This scene appears in various Avadana sets beyond the Narthang prints, including an example in the Palpung style HAR item 65019

This thangka belongs to a larger set, with two related paintings previously sold in these rooms: 24th March 2011, Lot 83, and 15th March 2017, Lot 241.

Shinzo Shiratori 02-2025