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Supreme Mongolian Field of Accumulation Thangka

Gelugpa Sect - ”Refuge Tree”

(Late 18^th century)

Magically conceived and executed in a colour palette evocative of the archetypal Tree of Knowledge in a paradise garden of illumination, this remarkable Mongolian Refuge Tree thangka is an absolute treasure. It is alive with saturated colour and replete with pure gold highlights. It manifests visual charm while at the same time communicating deep and profound design symbolism – the seed of enlightened being are the fruits from this tree. It has no doubt played a central role in the dharma transmission to many generations of Mongolian Buddhist lamas and disciples.

This remarkable and powerful thangka affirms the central role of lineage - which extends far beyond the ordinary sense of a particular line of inheritance or descent. It speaks to the disciple of the means whereby the integrity of Buddha's teachings is preserved intact as it is transmitted from one generation to the next.

A Refuge Field is a particular class of Buddhist painting composition that arranges all of the teachers and deities of a particular tradition in one painted composition as described in textual literature and formulated by individual religious traditions. Its function is to be a visual composition reminding the devotee of all of the most sacred objects contained in the tradition. It is also the basis of visualization practice. The lineage and sacred deities of the Gelug tradition are here conceived as part of an exquisitely portrayed naturalistic tree whose central bole rises from a lake where nagas play. The Gelugpa sect played a key role in transmitting Tibetan Buddhism across Mongolia and into China

At this tree’s centre is Lama Tsongkhapa wearing a yellow pandita hat. Below the central figure are the significant tutelary deities, buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats and wisdom protectors of the Gelugpa School . Above the central figure are the buddha Shakyamuni and rising beyond are the Indian mahasiddhas and Tibetan root teachers of the lineage. At the top centre of the thangka is the blue Adi Buddha who is the Primordial Buddha - a term which refers to a self-emanating, self-originating Buddha present before anything else existed To the left side is the bodhisattva Maitreya, buddha of the future, surrounded by the lineage teachers of the Yogacara philosophical system. At the right side are the lineage teachers of the Madyamaka philosophy.

Such thangkas are in effect mnemonic devices and meditation on their form is an important precursor to fully visualization. The lineage of gurus and transmission of teachings is thus depicted as a mind map. In Buddism each denomination or sect, and even each lineage or disciple succession has such a "genealogical" chart. These can be represented the founders and teachers in a tree diagram or fractal arrangement that symbolizes the interconnectedness of the various groups and constituents and as it takes a branching form is iconic of a tree and growth patterning.

The 14th Dalai Lama in the foreword to Karmapa: The Sacred Prophecy states:

"Within the context of Tibetan Buddhism, the importance of lineage extends far beyond the ordinary sense of a particular line of inheritance or descent. Lineage is a sacred trust through which the integrity of Buddha's teachings is preserved intact as it is transmitted from one generation to the next. The vital link through which the spiritual tradition is nourished and maintained is the profound connection between an enlightened master and perfectly devoted disciple. The master-disciple relationship is considered extremely sacred by all the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism."

Given its age, this thangka is in splendid condition with minimal losses. The mounting of this thangka is a beautiful blue silk brocade with khadag silk curtain. It is an extremely large thangka and must have formed an important part of a monastic transmission tradition. Such pieces are now rarely seen in the open market.

If you would like to see more pictures, please don't hesitate to ask and I will send you a zip file full of them.

All rights reserved.  Mongoliancollectables. 2007/2208/2009