An unusual thangka of a Bon deity


Tibet, 17th century Distemper on cloth, 78cm x 60cm (30 6/8in x 23 5/8in).
|西藏 十七世紀 彩繪法像唐卡Provenance: a European private collection來源： 歐洲私人收藏The deity depicted in yellow with three faces and six arms, striding in alidhasana on a prostrate figures while embracing his consort, his principal arms in vajrahumkara mudra crossing the vajra and ghanta, the other holding a sword, a flower vase, a trident and a skull cup. His consort wrapping her left leg around his waist while gazing into his primary face. Both deities wearing skull crowns and brocaded robes, surrounded by further emanations of the couple. The upper register with Ratnasambhava, Avalokiteshvara, Amitayus, Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal and Shakyamuni. The lower register with warriors and Buddhist protectors riding various animals. The central figure may possibly depict a form of Chakrasamvara, which features prominently across all Tibetan Buddhist schools and is the principal transformative deity of both the Kagyu and Sakya lineages. He is also the focal deity of the main tantra of the Anuttarayoga Wisdom classification of Buddhism, symbolising the fulfilment of Wisdom and Compassion when blissfully embracing his consort. Equal to a Buddha, Shamvara is beyond the extremes of samsara and nirvana. Each of his faces has three eyes, suggesting that he sees the threefold world and knows the substance of the three times (past, present and future).