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Amoghapasha, which means unfailing lasso, refers to an unfailing compassion like a lasso which brings all sentient beings out of suffering and into a state of happiness leading to enlightenment. Amoghapasha is a complicated deity subject in Tantric Buddhist iconography. He is easily mistaken for Avalokiteshvara in most artistic depictions. The two deities are frequently conflated together by scholars. Sometimes Amoghapasha is described as a form, or emanation, of Avalokiteshvara and again at other times a retinue figure while Avalokiteshvara is the central deity in the mandala. It begs the question, why are some of these mandalas called the Five-deity Amoghapasha if the central deity is Avalokiteshvara? It all comes down to naming conventions in Buddhism. The very idea of a compassionate deity called Amoghapasha comes out of a number of Indian Sanskrit texts that all have the word-name Amoghapasha in the title. In these texts both Avalokiteshvara and Amoghapasha are described along with different appearances and functions for each. In consequence, the principal name for all of these forms of the two deities, regardless of which one of the two is at the center of the mandala, are called Amoghapasha - mandala, meditation, or ritual.

There are a number of different Amoghapasha mandala configurations that still exist in the Newar and Tibetan Buddhist Traditions. There are also numerous solitary forms that do not have elaborate mandalas or retinue figures. The most common of these forms are typically depicted in Nepalese sculpture. They generally have one face and multiple arms, six, eight or ten, and are shown in a standing posture. (See the Amoghapasha Forms Outline).

Amoghapasha Pages:

Amoghapasha Main Page

Outline Page

Forms of the Deity Outline

Painting Set Outline

Amoghapasha Masterworks

The appearance of the Bon deity Magyu Sangchog Tartug follows very closely with several popular Tantric Buddhist deities such as Shri Hevajra and Chakrasamvara. As a comparison, look at the similarities of the 1. standing posture of all three deity figures, 2. the colour of the body, 3. the number of heads, 4. the number of arms, 5. the form of the consort, 6. the posture of the consort, 7. the colour of the consort, 8. the sixteen skullcups in the hands.

Magyu Sangchog Tartug (ma rgyud g.sang mchog mthar thug) is likely the most important Bon meditational deity to appear after the early formulation of the Five Excellent Ones of the Se Fortress and the very early deity Zhangzhung Meri.

The appearance and teachings of Magyu follow much more closely with those of Tantric Buddhism than the Five Excellent Ones. The Magyu is not only similar in appearance to the Buddhist deities Shri Hevajra and Chakrasamvara but also follows closely the literature and commentarial explanations especially with such arcane subjects as generation and perfection stage, dream yoga, clear light, etc.

The deity Magyu is wrathful in appearance, blue in colour, with seven heads and sixteen arms holding sixteen skullcups and each containing a heart. Embracing the consort Kyema Marmo, red in colour, one face and two arms, Magyu stands with the right legs straight and the left bent. The human lineage of Magyu is believed to have started with the Tibetan teacher Zangsa Ringtsun.

Namkha Gyatso a Bon Lama of unknown date, of unknown region and of unknown lineage affiliations.

Seated upright, slightly portly, with silver inlaid eyes a mustache and goatee, he appears slightly older in appearance - possibly depicting a teacher in mid life or later. The right hand is in a gesture of explication or blessing while holding a flower supporting an umbrella-like banner. The left hand is extended across the knee with the palm up, the fingers holding the stem of a flower with the blossom supporting a folio book. The upper torso wears a single robe draped across the left shoulder while a meditation belt goes from the right side to the left across the chest. The head is adorned with a variation of the lotus hat of which there are many different types. Long lappets hang to the right and left and the front is marked with a crescent moon and sun. Again, seated in a typical manner, the legs are placed in a cross legged posture, right over left, atop a double lotus base. (See Bon Hats).

The bottom of the sculpture has a metal plate with an incised 'yungdrung' design circling to the left in the manner typical of the Bon Tradition. The date of the object is speculative and it is possible the object is much more recent in time. An inscription is located around the base of the sculpture.

Jeff Watt 4-2006 [updated 4-2011]

Wylie Transliteration: rje rbas pa'i rigs dzin nam mkha' rgyam mtsho la. krad nam mkha' rin chen gus pas phyag mtshal lo. bdag sogs pha ma'i tso gyas sems kun rnam. gan mchog khyed kyi grung du grib byans nam. nyur du sads rgyas dgo' phang thob par shog.

The Bon Deities Outline Page has been updated along with the addition of more links.

An Outline Page highlighting the art and iconography of Bon Teachers has been added to the site along with updating of the Bon Teachers Main Page. Numerous gallery pages have been added along with additional cataloguing.

Many of the images of teachers, painting and sculpture, belong to much larger sets of images. The vast majority of images of Bon teachers are found depicted in sets of initiation and lineage cards (these sets have not yet been sorted).

The principal categories of Bon teachers depicted in art are those of the [1] Three Lineages of Dzogchen followed by the [2] Bon Monastic Lineage (typically with Nyamme Sherab Gyaltsen or Tritsug Gyalwa at the center), the [3] Magyu Lineage and [4] the Bon Refuge Field. These are the four principal subjects making up a large portion of teacher depictions. After these four there are various miscellaneous lineages of other deities and teaching lines.

The Bon Art Topics Outline Page has been updated along with additional links and added gallery pages.

The Bon Religion Outline Page has been updated along with additional links and cataloguing added.

A new outline page for Begtse Chen has been added along with additional links and cataloguing.

The protector deity Begtse Chen was popularized by both Marpa Lotsawa (1012-1096) and Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), the respective founders of the Marpa Kagyu and Sakya Traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The protector was later adopted and incorporated into the Gelug School of Tsongkapa and subsequently became popular in Mongolia - predominantly following the Gelug tradition since the 17th century.

Vajradhara is understood as being the primordial buddha of Tantric, or Vajrayana, Buddhism.

The New (Sarma) Schools, from the 11th century onward, namely Kadam, Sakya, Kagyu and Gelug believe that Vajradhara Buddha is the secret, or inner, form of Shakyamuni Buddha and the combined essence of all the buddhas of the ten directions and three periods of time gathered as one. In Anuttarayoga Tantra, the highest of the four catagories of Tantra according to the New Schools, it is Vajradhara who emanates forth the forms of the Five Symbolic Buddhas and Vajrasattva followed by the principal meditational deities such as Guhyasamaja, Shri Hevajra and Chakrasamvara.

According to the Nyingma Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism Vajradhara is an activity emanation of buddha Samantabhadra.

This is a painting of an Indian Siddha Figure (currently unidentified) accompanied by two forms of Vajravarahi at the right and left (also unidentified), figures in narrative scenes above and rows of twenty-one human figures below, attended upon by four offering goddesses, and a protector deity and a wealth deity at the bottom right and left.

All of the figures in the painting except for the Mahakala are essentially unidentified. This painting is a mystery. Who is the central Indian figure? What are the stories in the narrative vignettes above? Who are the twenty-one human figures in the registers below? Is that a topless woman in the first row right?

Is the painting in a Tibetan style, Nepali/Newar? Is it possibly associated with Tangut or Xixia culture? Are the stylistic and decorative elements more closely aligned with the murals of Luri Gompa in upper Mustang, Nepal?

In this one painting we have all of the elements of a good art and iconography mystery.

On the 3rd floor of the Lhukang Temple there are seven murals - painted wall surfaces. Of the seven there are three large mural panels and four small mural panels. Two of the large panels document [1 & 2] 'Revealed Treasure' Teachings of Pema Lingpa. These two panels are very detailed with dozens of images, accompanied by written inscriptions and in some cases with sequential numbering. (North & West Wall).

A third large panel depicts the [3] Eighty-four Mahasiddhas of the Vajrasana tradition along with the Twenty-five disciples of Padmasambhava. (East Wall).

Of the four small narrow panels, the first of these depicts various narratives scenes including [4] Pema Lingpa and the discovery of 'Revealed Treasures' in a lake in Bhutan. The second small panel again depicts [5] narrative scenes including Sakya Pandita, Tsongkapa, Tsarchen Loasal Gyatso and Doringpa (see images below). The first and second panels are placed together in a corner forming a right angle. The third of the three panels depicts [6] two deities - a Nyingma Heruka figure above and a wrathful Vajrapani below. The fourth small panel appears to be a continuation of one of the large Pema Lingpa panels.

This painting is one of the most unique presentations of the worldly condition. It follows somewhat the theoretical formula of a Wheel of Life painting but diverges dramatically with a heavy emphasis on the image of Yama and a detailed depiction of the Buddhist Hell Realms. What is clearly missing in this example compared with the more traditional compositions are [1] the circular format, [2] the outer circle with images representing each of the Twelve Links of Dependent Arising and [3] the Three Animals representing the three poisons - rooster, pig and snake, at the hub of the Wheel of Life.

Six Interesting Things About the Wheel of Life

1. The Earliest (oldest) painting: Ajanta Cave

2. The most correct personification of death (no ornaments)

3. The best depiction based on drawing and line work

4. Briefest symbolic depiction of the Wheel of Life

5. Most unique depiction of the Wheel of Life

6. The biggest depiction (carved rock relief): Dazu, China

A new outline page for Maharakta Ganapati has been added along with additional links and cataloguing.

The Lhasa Main Page and Lhasa Outline Page have been updated. The principal locations are the Potala Palace including the Lukang, the Tsuglakang (Jokang), Barkor Temples, Temples in Lhasa outside of the Barkor, temples on the outer edges of Lhasa - such as Drepung, Sera, Drolma Lhakang, etc. The temples can also be catagorized from the earliest such as the temple on Marpori (inside the Potala), the Tsuglakang and Ramoche up to the latest such as Drashi Lakang.

The Drolma Lhakang is one of Tibet's oldest temples. It is situated on the highway just outside of Lhasa on the way to Gongkar monastery and the Lhasa Airport. The Lhakang was visited by Jowo Atisha in the 11th century on his way to Lhasa. The large sculpture, lion thrones and stupas are said to be particularly old. Observing closely the lions, they appear to be in a Tibetan imperial style.

The monastery of Tagten Damcho Ling was the main residence of Jetsun Taranata (1575-1635) in the latter half of his life. The monastery land was a gift of the Tsang King Desi Puntsog Namgyal in 1615. The construction was completed in 1628. The name of the monastery was later changed to Puntsog Ling by the 5th Dalai Lama.

See the Jonang Tradition Main Page and Jonang Outline Page

Karma Tansrung: a 'gyalpo' spirit subjugated by Tai Situ Pema Nyingje and made into a worldly protector deity of Palpung Monastery of the Karma Kagyu Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He is also known as Padma Tansrung. (See Tibetan Spirits).

Karma Tansrung is slightly wrathful, with bulging eyes, biting down on the lower lip, a large bald forehead, attired in the garb of a monk, the head surrounded by a halo of flames. In the right hand he holds a long staff adorned with a flaming blue jewel. The left hand holds upraised a larger flaming blue jewel. In a standing posture he is surrounded by objects of wealth: gold, silver, red coral, bolts of cloth, multi-coloured jewels and two mongoose in front.

At the top left is Katog Tsewang Norbu wearing the garments of a lay teacher and a Nyingma hat. He holds vajra scepter to the heart with the right hand and a kila peg in the left. and. At the top right is Situ Chokyi Jungne wearing the robes of a monastic and the typical red hat of his incarnation lineage. In the right and left hands are a vajra and bell.

Thirteenth or Eighteenth Century? A response to David Weldon’s “On Recent Attributions to Aniko” (asianart.com, October 21, 2010) by Michael Henss. February 14, 2011.

On recent attributions to Aniko by David Weldon. October 21, 2010

"It is my opinion that Nepalese and Tibetan art of the 13th and 14th century was influenced considerably by Indian Pala style models in a great variety of forms and atelier traditions. However, a closer look at all these “Pala-Newari” and “Pala-Tibetan” or Nepalo-Tibetan artistic traditions will naturally help identifying specific stylistic groups beyond a simple Pala pattern which I feel characterises – in different degrees – the great majority of “Himalayan” art works of that period. " (Read the full article on the Asian Art website. See images of the Aniko Stupa in Beijing on the HAR website).

The subject of this painting visually relates a narrative about the 2nd Shamar Kacho Wangpo who traveled to a group of eight mountains (or peaks), Namlha Gye Kang Gi Rawa, accompanied by two attendant students. At the foot of the mountains Shamar performed a Khandro Chitor offering followed by a 'sang' smoke offering ritual. At the time he spontaneously composed a new liturgy for offering - still used today. Tseringma, a mountain goddess and Buddhist protector with a long history of close relations with the Karma Kagyu Tradition was pleased with the offering and smoke ritual and appeared to the three - lama and students.

Above the head of Shamar Rinpoche, three rays of emanated light, rainbow-like, twisting upward, spread from smaller to larger, bottom to top, indicating the inspiration in the composition of the new liturgical text of the Khandro Chitor. The five rainbow ribbons frame Manjushri, seated, orange in colour, with the two hands at the heart holding the stems of two flowers supporting a sword and book - attributes of scholarship and wisdom.

The basic compositional form of the central figure and some details have been borrowed and used to depict the Tai Situpa in a later lineage painting set. (See a comparison with painting HAR #51885. Note the divot in the hat generally a characteristic unique to the Tai Situpas). Borrowings of this type are quite common in Tibetan art.