Buddhist iconography

When entering a Tibetan Buddhist monastery for the first time, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed by the incredible variety of Buddhas, bodhisattvas and deities – some angry, some peaceful, and all almost always very colorful. But who is who and how can we distinguish the

Tricycle Jeff Watt 25 April 2013 Buddhist artistic traditions of the Himalayas, Tibet, and Central Asia are believed to follow established guidelines for determining body proportions in figu…

Painting with decorative borders, mounted on support panel. Would have originally been in thangka format. Dark-skinned, ferocious Mahakala stands on a corpse, holding a skull cup and chopper. He is surrounded by seated Bodhisattvas and religious preceptors as well as dancing Dakinis and ferocious deities.

Himalayan Art Resources features thousands of artworks from Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, India, China and Mongolia. The site presents art from leading private and museum collections, accompanied by scholarship, cataloging and interpretation.

SATURN Lord of Time turns RETROGRADE on Good Friday in SAGittarius. As Saturn moves slowly backwards it is like going through a wormhole or time tunnel, we get to go back to the past to change the …

MEDICINE BUDDHA or Bhaisajyaguru is revered as a symbol of healing and enlightenment in Buddhism, embodying compassion and strength to alleviate sufferings. 🌿 The iconography of the Medicine Buddha is rich in symbolism: his right hand cradles the stem of the Myrobalan plant, representing rejuvenation, while his left hand holds a lapis-colored vessel containing precious medicine nectar. His deep blue skin signifies tranquility, and he is adorned in three robes of a Buddhist monk, symbolizing…

Vajrapani

Although one can appreciate the beauty of an object and the degree of craftsmanship involved without knowing what it represents, it is fulfilling to know what you are looking at. The following info…

The union of male and female (yam-yum) is prevalent in Tibetan Buddhist Tantric iconography. In this thangka painting of Vajrasattva with consort the center of the mandala is taken by a object called Vajra that Vajrasattva holds with his right hand. The Vajra, initially well-known as the sceptre of Indra, it came to assume tremendous importance in Tantric philosophy and symbolism. In Tibetan Buddhism is symbol of the indestructible nature of the ultimate truth.