Mongolian Collectables

MONGOLIAN COLLECTABLES

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The central figure of Tsong Khapa is seated on a lotus throne with his hands in the teaching mudra. He is wearing the traditional yellow pandita hat worn by Buddhist scholars and is dressed in the robes of a Tibetan monk, wearing an "undershirt" under his outer robes. His robes are extremely finely painted. He is holding lotus flowers that support a sword at his right shoulder and a sutra at his left shoulder - the sword and the sutra identify him as a manifestation of Manjushri, bodhisattva of wisdom. The lotus flowers represent purity and compassion and the word and book represent wisdom. In the lower register, Tsong Khapa is flanked by devotional images of his two main disciples - Gyaltsab Je and Khedrup Je. Two dyani buddhas are seen above Tsong Khapa affirming the power of the dharma.

This is an extremely old Mongolian thangka and is an early representation of Tsong Khapa the founder of the gelugpa sect and as such shows strong Tibetan artistic influences. The gelugpa sect played a key role in transmitting Tibetan Buddhism across Mongolia and into China. The quality of the artistry is very high and the palette includes the use of gold paint - use of gold was seen to generate further merit for those commissioning such works. The gold coloured silk brocade, now showing signs of centuries of wear, is of a form and colour usually reserved for high lamas and wealthy patrons. In the past this would have been a prized thangka which would have been used for devotional meditation practise and teaching.

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