Item: Chakrasamvara (Buddhist Deity)

Chakrasamvara according to the tradition of mahasiddha Ghantapa. This composition is a single painting and does not appear to belong to a painting set. It is a product of the Gelug Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The style of painting is aligned closely with that of the Chamdo region of Eastern Tibet known as the Kham Province.

At the center is Chakrasamvara with four faces, blue, yellow, green and red, and twelve hands, embracing Vajrayogini with both legs embracing the waist of the father. Smaller is size, placed in the four directions, surrounding the central couple are in the East, blue Dakini, South yellow Rupini, West red Khandarohe and in the North green Lama. In some texts the four attendant dakinis are said to have two hands holding a curved knife and skullcup. In other texts they are described as having four hands and holding a curved knife and skullcup along with a damaru and katvanga staff. However it is generally stated in the Tibetan commentaries that in the Luipa Tradition the four dakinis have four arms and in the Ghantapa Tradition they have two arms.

At the top center is Tsongkapa wearing monastic robes and a yellow pandita hat. to the left side is Vajradhara. At the upper right side is the bodhisattva Vajrapani holding a vajra scepter, seated in a relaxed posture.

At the lower middle left is Manjuvajra Guhyasamaja. On the right side is Heruka Vajrabhairava. At the bottom left side is the 1st Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662). At the right side is the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngagwang Lobzang Gyatso (1617-1682 [65 yrs]).

Jeff Watt 4-2022