Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Sage of Long-Life (Chinese Deity)

ཚེ་རིང་དྲང་སྲོང་། 长寿婆罗门
(item no. 50351)
Origin Location Mongolia
Date Range 1800 - 1899
Lineages Buddhist
Material Clay
Collection Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Interpretation / Description

在早期的中国, 有一个与世隔绝的美丽的地方叫做大乐纯林。那里有一座大山, 形如右旋的白海螺。在它前面, 具有八种特殊品质的水不断的流淌。 在净土里居住着一位长生不老的圣人,白色臉上帶有略紅的色彩, 胡须是银白的。他的右手拿着一个长寿花瓶, 用白色围巾绑着。他的左手做出慷慨的手势,拿着一个千年寿桃。在圣人的加持下,山后面的河里昼夜流淌着具有八种特殊品质的水。 在他旁边是一棵长寿树(杜松树)。树干非常结实, 盛开着美丽的花朵,为大家提供荫凉。任何感受到微风和荫凉的人将获得长寿。 因为圣人的宽厚和教导佛法,可爱的小鸟们和两只白鹤被吸引到了这里。生活在附近的一对鹿得到了长生不老的加持,愉快地享受着周边的水和食物。 (由噶玛格勒翻译5-2012)

"From an early time in China there was an isolated and pleasant place known as the Pure Forest of Great Bliss (rnam dag bde chen gyi tshal) with a rocky mountain in the shape of a white conch turning to the right. In front is a continuously flowing stream having the eight qualities [of water].

Residing there in the pureland is a sage with immortal life, a white mustache and beard, white face with a reddish hue. In the right hand he holds a longevity vase tied with a white scarf and the left, in a gesture of generosity, holding a peach having ripened for over a thousand years. By the blessing of the sage, from the back of the mountain, a river with eight qualities continuously flows.

At the side is a longevity tree (juniper) with a solid trunk, leaves and foliage spread widely, abundant with beautiful flowers - providing shade and cool air. Whoever feels the breeze and shade will obtain long-life.

Lovely birds and two white cranes gather because of the sage's gesture of generosity and gift of the Dharma. A male and female deer live nearby receiving the blessing of not aging and dying, happily enjoying the water and food." (Translation by Karma Gellek, 5-2012)

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