Item: Padmasambhava - 8 Forms: Orgyen Dorje Chang

Urgyan Dorje Chang, Pema Jungne (English: the Vajra Holder from the [land] of Oddiyana, Lotus Born): from the set of Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava.

Peaceful, dark blue in colour, with one face, three eyes and two hands, he holds in the right a gold vajra and in the left, resting on the knee, a vajra handled bell. Adorned with a crown of gold and jewels, earrings and bracelets, he wears a green scarf and a lower garment of rainbow coloured silks. With the two legs folded in vajra posture he is surrounded by a red nimbus and green areola. Embraced by the consort, white in colour, wearing flowers in the hair and an orange scarf, holding upraised a skullcup of nectar, they sit atop a white moon disc and multi-coloured flower blossom rising from a lotus pond.

At the top center is the buddha of long-life, Amitayus, embraced by the consort. Red in colour with one face and two hands holding in the lap a vase filled with nectar, seated on a pink lotus surrounded by a sphere of rainbow light. At the right is the guru Humkara, dressed as a layman wearing multi-coloured robes and a lotus hat, holding a vajra and bell with the two hands crossed at the heart. This guru initiated Guru Rinpoche into the Mahayoga cycle of Samputa Heruka (Tib.: yang dak). Below, a retinue of royal dignitaries with banners and fans petitions the Guru. At the upper left is a temple in the shape of a caitya with three levels surrounded by a compound and outer circular wall. At the lower right, inside a cave, a pandita figure conducts a ritual service before an elaborate shrine with a damaru and bell assisted by a youthful female attendant.

Padmasambhava received the name of Oddiyana Vajradhara after acquiring Mahayoga teachings from the buddha Vajrasattva and attaining the 9th level of a bodhisattva.

Jeff Watt 1-99

Thematic Sets
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 7
Padmasambhava: Orgyen Dorje Chang
Padmasambhava: Eight Forms Main Page
Subject: Initiation Rituals