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Buddha in Vajrasana
Khara-Khoto
Late 11th-12th centuries
Gouache on cotton
76 x 56 cm
This thangka (an image painted for religious purposes or
as an aid to meditation) does not present any certain
moment from Buddha's life but embodies the Buddhist
concept of the comprehension of the highest wisdom.
Buddha, whose body is distinguished by the bright red
colour of his garment and the oval nimbus, is depicted in
the Vajrasana pose. The right hand is lowered with the
palm turned inwards – the gesture of calling upon the
Earth to witness Buddha's enlightenment. On his right is
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, on his left – Bodhisattva
Maitreya. Figures of other bodissattvas seated on lotuses
are arranged in threes above each of them. Along the
upper edge of the thangka is an arcade with five niches
with seated Buddhas (the last on the right has perished).
The plinth of the principal figure's throne forms an open
gallery divided into seven compartments, each of which
contains a deity or a genius of the Hindu pantheon. On
both sides of the gallery are depictions of gurus (teachers
preaching Buddhism) set against oval nimbuses. The
bright colouring, the beauty of the rhythms and symmetry
of the composition evoke a feeling of harmony and peace.
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