HISTORIC MONGOLIAN Rejuvenation MANDALA THANGKA

 

( MONGOLIA gelugpa lineage, dated at MID –LATE 18^TH CENTURY)

 

This is a highly original and wholly authentic 18^th century Mongolian mandala thangka of museum quality. Given its monastic scale and highly complex design symbolism, it was clearly an important spiritual teaching tool for focusing attention of aspirants and adepts in introducing a “sacred space” through meditation and trance induction. The thangka itself would have been fundamental to the profound transmission of a specific Tantric liturgy (tantra) by an accomplished teacher of the dharma. This thangka has therefore played a key role in the enlightenment of many generations of Mongolian Buddhists and in the oral transmission of their lineage.

 

The thangka mounting is a rare and beautiful pale chestnut brocade with cloud floral motifs with a hand embroidered strip adjacent to the painting itself. The mandala design exhibits a centre, radial symmetry and cardinal points wherein the skilful use of colour creates a strong sense of depth perspective – this greatly assists in visualisation of the palace and surrounding cosmic spheres. The painting is comprised of a truly harmonious palette of saturated mineral pigments with minor wear commensurate with age and ritual usage – the overall visual impact is one of serenity and natural great peace.

 

Design Symbolism

 

As is typical of tantric mandalas, this thangka’s design consists of an outer circular mandala and an inner square with an ornately decorated mandala palace placed at the center. In the thangka field, and separate from the mandala itself, we see four cloud borne deities – a healing Buddha, a White Tara, a gelugpa “yellow hat” lama, and a garuda. These figures occupy each perimeter quadrant of the field within which the mandala takes form. Taken together, these deities manifest long- life teachings, protection from disease and nagas and the healing wisdom power of the Buddha dharma’s universal laws

 

Both outer and inner mandalas are occupied by a staggering array of Mongolian buddhist glyphs and symbols which presumably include images of associated deities – these design elements symbolise different stages in the process of realisation. In contemplating this thangka it is important to realize that the image is not the mandala itself - but a plan for this mandala as abode of fully realised beings and deities.

 

The outermost perimeter in the mandala comprises concentric circles that symbolise a ring of fire - which is said to deny the uninitiated access to the profound mysteries within. Within this, there is a circle of vajras which symbolise the indestructibility of the mind and its true wisdom or insight – this is a two-dimensional representation of an actual sphere of interlocking vajras that protects the cubic palace of the deity. Significantly, nothing samsaric, that is, nothing connected with the wheel of existence, can penetrate this sphere and enter into the mandala. The vajra sphere encloses three further dimensional spheres within which various totemic creatures are manifest just beyond a concentric circle of soft blue within which golden fish swim and auspicious long life symbols abound.

 

Historical Context

 

Setting aside the art value of this thangka, it is instructive to reflect on the likely context for its traditional usage. For example, when a Tantric liturgy calls for the visualization of a mandala, the teacher communicates detailed descriptions about its form – teaching about each and every design element. The plan of the mandala would have hung on the wall of the shrine room. The student will be directed to inspect the plan minutely and commit it to memory, so that it can be used as an aid to seeing the three-dimensional reality. The mandala’s symbolic nature can help to access progressively deeper levels of the unconscious, ultimately assisting the meditator to experience a sense of oneness with the ultimate unity of the cosmos.