Assembly of Buddhist Adepts and Deities painting
A Refuge Field of Gelug is a Tibetan Buddhist scroll painting depicting the ‘Field of Accumulation,’ where practitioners visualize their lineage of teachers and deities to accumulate merit by ‘going for refuge.’
Thangka of Pancha Tathagata Mandala
The thangka features a circular mandala with a blossomed lotus, icons of the Pancha-Tathagata, and auspicious symbols. It is surrounded by Buddhist deities that enhance the intricate iconography and spiritual narrative.
Buddha and Lambs
In this painting, the Buddha tenderly cradling a lamb amid a quiet flock becomes a moving visual embodiment of the Brahmaviharas, the four sublime states of mind taught in Buddhism. The scene most explicitly expresses karuna compassion one of these divine abodes. Yet, the tranquillity and balance of the composition also suggest the presence of […]
Vimalamitra
Vimalamitra was a prominent 8th-century Buddhist monk, philosopher, and tantric adept, known for his role in transmitting esoteric teachings from India to Tibet. He significantly contributed to the early spread of Tantric Buddhism, particularly the Dzogchen teachings within the Nyingma school, founded by Guru Padmasambhava. Born in Western India, Vimalamitra became a leading scholar among […]
Dharmarakṣa
Dharmaraksa, a Buddhist monk from Dunhuang, was a key translator in Chinese Buddhist history during the late 3rd and early 4th centuries CE. He significantly contributed to the dissemination of Mahayana Buddhism by translating numerous texts, surpassing his predecessors in both quantity and variety. Among his works are essential sutras like the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra […]
Vasubandhu Bodhisatva
Vasubandhu was a significant Buddhist teacher and philosopher who greatly influenced Mahayana Buddhism during the Gupta period in India. Revered as one of the “Six Ornaments” of the Himalayan Buddhist tradition, he contributed to various Buddhist traditions, including Vaibhasika, Sautrantika, and Yogacara. Born around 316 CE in Puruṣapura (modern-day Peshawar), he was a Brahmana. Although […]
Asvaghosa
Asvaghosa was a prominent Buddhist monk, philosopher, dramatist, and poet, considered one of the earliest influential literary figures in classical Indian Buddhism. Born in Saketa (now Ayodhya), he was a Brahmin who dedicated himself to the Astanga-Marga, earning respect among learned monks and being referred to as a Bodhisattva. The Chinese pilgrim I-tsing noted him […]
Bhavachakra (Wheel of Existence)
The bhavachakra, a significant concept in Buddhism, illustrates the perpetual cycle of rebirth that is influenced by the law of dependent origination (pratītya-samutpāda). This representation is often depicted as a wheel held by a creature, serving as a reminder of the transient nature of existence. At the core of the wheel, we find the three […]
Celestial Deity
The sculpture features a celestial dancing figure defined by an elegant, sinuous curve, typical of classical Indian aesthetics as described in the Natyashastra. Her torso leans dramatically, creating a dynamic contrapposto that suggests fluid motion, as if she is captured mid-dance. The sculptor emphasises her body’s articulation, lifted shoulder, arched back, and shifted hips, conveying […]
Relic Gems of Sakyamuni Buddha
In 1898, William Claxton Peppé discovered the Piprawaha gem relics, which led to 349 gem relics being placed under his custody. A significant portion of these relics became part of the Imperial Museum in Calcutta, now known as the Indian Museum in Kolkata. The museum classified these relics as ‘AA’ antiquities, which prohibited their sale […]