Item: Shakyamuni Buddha - Avadana (teaching stories)

Avadana Painting #19 containing stories 93-99. From a set of 22 tangkas and 108 stories.

(93) The Pure Mind of Sumagadha. She invites the Buddha to visit her home.
(94) Yashomitra's Nectar of Merit. A story of drought, faith and water.
(95) The Tigress: The Karma of Generosity. The continuation of the story of the Buddha in a former life giving his body to a starving tigress.
(96) The Compassionate Elephant. An elephant saves 500 wicked men.
(97) The Tortoise's Gift. A turtle saves 500 merchants from drowning after a ship wreck.
(98) The Strength of Spirituality. The Buddha gives teachings to alledged barbarians.
(99) King Padmaka's Wishing Prayer. A story of healing. The Buddha in a former life prays to be reborn as a fish.

The Avadana paintings were conceived and sponsored by Situ Panchen Chokyi Jungne (1700-1774). From the first set of paintings numerous copies were later made.

[Story names from Leaves of the Heaven Tree, the Great Compassion of the Buddha by Padma Chopel, 19th century. (Based on the Bodhisattvavadanakalpata of Kshemendra, 11th century). Translated by Deborah Black. Berkeley: Dharma Publishing, 1997.]

Jeff Watt 9-2003