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A Thanka of Samantabhadra and Samantabhadri, Tibet, 1800s…
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Description:
A Thanka of Samantabhadra and Samantabhadri, Tibet, 1800s Pigment on cloth, the reverse with Tibetan inscription 'Om, ah, hum', with cloth mount, framed and glazed, 113 x 85 cm. Provenance: Dr Paul Sutherland, Sydney. Exhibited: Goddess: Divine Energy, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 13 October 2006 - 28 January 2007 Literature: Jackie Menzies, Goddess: Divine Energy, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, pl. 146, p. 230 (illus.). Exhibited in the 2007 Art Gallery of New South Wales exhibition, Goddess: Divine Energy, the accompanying exhibition catalogue includes the following explanation by Chaya Chandrasekha of 'Adi Buddha couples', 'Among the distinguishing features of Vajrayana Buddhism is the concept of the Adi or Supreme Buddha and his consort - an enlightened primordial couple from whom all other Buddhas and deities within the Buddhist system emanate. Essentially, Adi Buddhas are embodiments of Buddhist teachings ( dharma and ultimate attainment - the successful end result of religious instruction. In Buddhism, awakening is conceived as a combination of two core ideas; wisdom ( prajna ), the direct awareness of reality, and compassion ( karuna ), altruistic action initiated by that knowledge. Buddhist symbology uses gender to articulate the two components of attainment. The female represents perfected wisdom and the male represents immeasurable compassion. Adi Buddha couples articulate the merging of wisdom (female) and compassion (male) to result in awakening. It is the inseparable union of the two core constituents of enlightenment that generates the entire Buddhist system.' The following description prepared by Carol Cains, Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, accompanies this work on page 230 of the exhibition catalogue: 'This thangka shows the Adi Buddha Samantabhadra in union with his wisdom partner, Samantabhadri. They sit within a resplendent open lotus, atop a shining white moon disc. Rays of rainbow light radiate from the aura that surrounds the pair and illuminate the dark sky and hilly landscape. The Buddha Vajrasattva, with his characteristic vajra and bell attributes, appears in the centre of the lower register, flanked by two hierarchs of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Inscriptions along the lower edge of the painting identify these figures as Prahevajra on the proper right and Shri Simha on the left (inscriptions read by David Templeman).' Goddess: Divine Energy, 200610132007128 Menzies, Jackie, Goddess: Divine Energy
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Category:
Oriental: Textiles & Costume