Item: Indian Adept (siddha) - Avadhutipa

Avadhutipa, Mahasiddha (Tibetan: drup tob awa dhu ti pa): an Indian master of tantric methods, the 6th guru of the Lamdre lineage descending from Virupa.

In the appearance of a stylized Tantric yogi, brown in colour with a full black beard and the hair piled on the crown of the head he is adorned with various flower blossoms. With white bone ear plugs in place of rings, a gold necklace, bracelets, anklets, bone ornaments and a long garland of flowers he wears a red scarf and a red - blue trimmed - lower garment. In the right hand outstretched is a small gold knife. The left, placed in the lap holds a green fruit with stem and leaves taken from the bowl at the side. Relaxed in a posture of ease he sits atop a tiger skin and mat of fresh green leaves placed above a rocky outcropping. Directly behind is the round blue basket of traveling possessions.

At the top left is the wrathful deity Ushnisha Chakravartin, yellow in colour with one face and two hands, wearing wrathful vestments. The right hand holds aloft a gold Dharma wheel and the left held to the heart performs a wrathful gesture. Wrapped in a green scarf and tiger skin garment he stands with the right leg bent and the left straight atop a sun disc and red lotus blossom. At the right is Prajnataka, white, holding in the right hand a stick with a gold vajra tip and performing a wrathful gesture. At the bottom left is Yamantaka, dark blue, holding a vajra axe and performing a wrathful gesture. In the middle is Padmantaka, red, holding a pink lotus and with the left a wrathful gesture. At the right is Vighnantaka, dark blue, holding a vajra and performing a wrathful gesture. These five belong to a set of 10 wrathful deities that serve as the outer protection retinue for Anuttarayoga deity mandalas.

To the left of the central figure two laymen stand in discussion while holding a Dharma book and pointing. To the right is a monk within a temple structure and outside rising from a lotus stem Tara sits atop an orange lotus blossom. Green in colour she has one face and two hands performing the mudra of generosity with the right and holding the stem of a lotus to the heart with the left, seated in a relaxed manner.

In the Lamdre lineage Avadhutipa follows his root guru Damarupa. Based on composition and style both paintings are likely from the same set and the same artist.

Lamdre Lineage: Vajradhara, Nairatmya, Virupa (9th century), Kanhapa, Damarupa, Avadhutipa, Gayadhara (994-1043), Drogmi Lotsawa (992-1072), Seton Kunrig (1025-1113), Shangton Chobar (1053-1136), Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), Sonam Tsemo (1142-1182), Dragpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), Sakya Pandita (1182-1251), etc.

Jeff Watt 1-99

Front of Painting
Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: Grub chen a wa dhu [?] pa la na mo, tsug gtor 'kor lo bsgyur pa la na mo, shes rab mthar byed la na mo, gshin rje shed la na mo, pad ma mthar byed la na mo, dgegs mthar byed la na mo.

Reverse of Painting
Special Features: (Printed script (Uchen))

Thematic Sets
Subject: Margapala Lineage Paintings (Sakya)
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 6
Indian Adept Main Page (Mahasiddha)
Indian Adept: Mahasiddha Painting Set, Lamdre
Painting Set: Lamdre Mahasiddhas
Exhibition: Awaken (Rubin Museum)
Indian Adept: Avadhutipa Page
Painting Set: Margapala [7]
Painting Tradition: Khyenri Main Page
Indian Adept (Mahasiddha): Painting (Late Period 17th to the Present)
Subject: Travel Bag (Monks & Siddhas)