Item: Ushnishavijaya (Buddhist Deity) - (Nine Deity Configuration)

Ushnishavijaya (Tibetan: tsug tor nam par gyal ma): goddess of long-life, white in colour, with three faces and eight hands, seated inside a stupa. (See HAR #93534).

At the center is the meditational deity and goddess Ushnishavijaya in her Nine Deity configuration, seated inside a stupa. At the bottom center is Green Tara with two accompanying standing attendants. In the three registers at the right, left and bottom are the Twenty-one Taras of the Suryagupta Tradition. The top register contains various Buddhas in both Nirmanakaya and Sambhogakaya appearance. The upper portion of the right register has two forms of Manjushri. Above the large central stupa are two deity figures and four Buddhist teachers wearing monastic robes.

"...Ushnishavijaya, the colour of an autumn moon, with three faces, white, yellow and blue and eight hands. Each face has three very large eyes. The first right hand holds a vishvavajra, second a white lotus with Amitabha [Buddha] residing, third an arrow and the fourth in [the gesture of] supreme generosity. The first left holds a vajra lasso, second a bow, third [in the gesture of] bestowing protection and fourth in [the gesture of] meditative equipoise holding an auspicious nectar vase; complete with silks and jewel ornaments, seated in [vajra] posture. Within the outer circle of the stupa, on the right [side of the chaitya], above a moon is Avalokiteshvara with a body white in colour, the left hand holds a lotus. On the left [of the chaitya], above a sun is Vajrapani, blue, the left hand holds an utpala with a vajra; standing in a peaceful manner and adorned with silks and jewels." (Jamyang Kyentse Wangpo, 1820-1892).

The painting is consistently dark over the entire surface of the composition. This dis-colouration is likely due to prolonged butter lamp smoke exposure.

Jeff Watt 6-2014

Reverse of Painting
Special Features: (Printed script (Uchen), is black, includes "Om Ah Hum" inscription)