Item: Teacher (Lama) - (multiple figures)

Konchog Pelwa (1445-1514. yongs 'dzin dkon mchog 'phel ba), 7th Abbot of Ngor Monastery [P1873]. Muchen Sanggye Rinchen (1450-1524. mus chen sangs rgyas rin chen), the 8th Abbot of Ngor Monastery [P1027]. Two Sakya Teachers from a set of paintings depicting the Lamdre (Margapala) Lineage. Based on the compositional style and the identification of the teachers in the three known paintings from this set, the painting above is the 4th right and number and 8th in the sequence. Although the set appears to end with the eighth painting is it also likely, for the sake of symmetry, that a ninth painting was added as the 4th left. If this were the case then it would likely depict deities chosen by the donor or the artist.

Konchog pelwa appears as the large figure at the viewer's upper right and Muchen Sanggye Rinchen is on the left side. They appear as though they might be out of order but hey are not. This painting hangs to the viewer's left of the central Vajradhara painting which is the first in the series. The lineage of teachers in the compositions hanging left of center move outward in sequence following a right to left reading of the sequence of teachers. Paintings that hang right of center from the viewer's perspective follow a left to right reading of the sequence.

At the top left is the long life deity Ushnishavijaya. At the center is Simhanada Avalokiteshvara riding a lion. On the right side is Green Tara with one leg pendant.

Below the two central teachers, on the left is Panjarnata Mahakala with the smaller figures of Brahmanarupa on the left and Shri Devi on the right. On the lower right side is Vaishravana Riding a Lion with the small figures of a minister to the left and his consort to the viewer's right. At the very bottom right is the wealth deity Vasudhara and a donor figure at the bottom left.

Slightly above Mahakala, on the right side is Sachen Kunga Nyingpo. On the left side is Lobpon Sonam Tsemo.

This is likely the last painting in the set and depicts the donor figure at the bottom left corner.

Jeff Watt 1-2013