Prajñaparamita – The “Perfection of Wisdom”
See it in the Museum
India and Nepal
Orientation 3
Wall object 13
ABP 049
Code: ABP 049
Country: Tibet
Style:
Date: 1250 - 1350
Dimensions in cm WxHxD: 67 x 87
Materials: Glue distemper on cotton
Goddess Prajñaparamita – “The Perfection of Wisdom”
The four-armed goddess sits legs crossed in meditation on a lotus throne supported by snow lions. Her first pair of hands holds a vajra and rest in her lap in contemplation while the second holds prayer beads and a copy of the Prajñaparamita text, the “Perfection of Wisdom in 8 000 verses.” The deity is the personification of this fundamental literature proper to the Mahayana Buddhism. Of golden complexion, she is adorned of the royal attire proper to the divine manifestations.
Placed around the goddess are the eight major bodhisattvas with white Avalokiteshvara to her right and yellow Mañjushri to her left. At the bottom from left to right are: fierce Achala brandishing his sword, Shadakshari-Lokeshvara, Buddha Shakyamuni, the Green Tara, and a Monk making oblations.
This very early and important thangka was allegedly discovered in the greater area of the Yellow River in North-Eastern Tibet (Amdo). Stylistically, it shows a distinct influence of the later Indian Pala tradition, something that is also visible in some of the paintings discovered at Khara-Khoto, former capital of the Tangut empire (also known as Western Xia) taken by the Mongols in 1226.
The four-armed goddess sits legs crossed in meditation on a lotus throne supported by snow lions. Her first pair of hands holds a vajra and rest in her lap in contemplation while the second holds prayer beads and a copy of the Prajñaparamita text, the “Perfection of Wisdom in 8 000 verses.” The deity is the personification of this fundamental literature proper to the Mahayana Buddhism. Of golden complexion, she is adorned of the royal attire proper to the divine manifestations.
Placed around the goddess are the eight major bodhisattvas with white Avalokiteshvara to her right and yellow Mañjushri to her left. At the bottom from left to right are: fierce Achala brandishing his sword, Shadakshari-Lokeshvara, Buddha Shakyamuni, the Green Tara, and a Monk making oblations.
This very early and important thangka was allegedly discovered in the greater area of the Yellow River in North-Eastern Tibet (Amdo). Stylistically, it shows a distinct influence of the later Indian Pala tradition, something that is also visible in some of the paintings discovered at Khara-Khoto, former capital of the Tangut empire (also known as Western Xia) taken by the Mongols in 1226.