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Powerful 18th Century Thangka of Religious Protector Yama Dharmaraja

“Combining Inner, Outer and Secret Tantric Forms”

This is a splendid 18^th century Mongolian thangka depicting Yama Dharmaraja who is an important Buddhist wisdom deity and Protector of the Method Class (father) of Anuttaryoga Yoga. It is drawn in an energetic style and the bold colour palette assists in depicting a sense of power and dynamic force. In particular, the Gelugpa tradition hold Yama Dharmaraja in a special regard as one of their three main religious protectors. The Gelugpa sect played a key role in transmitting Tibetan Buddhism across Mongolia and into China . The purpose of this thangka as a practise support is to assist practitioners to engage and conquer the various negative emotions through meditation.

Although similar in appearance and name to Yama, the 'Lord of Death' which shown as the central figure in Buddhist paintings of the Hell Realms, Yama Dharmaraja is not the same individual. The “Lord of Death” is conceived of as a sentient creature and the King of the Ghost Realm. Instead, Yama Dhamaraja derives from tantric traditions where the deity Manjushri , the Boddhisattva of All-conquering Wisdom, assumes a variety of terrifying forms to subdue Yama (death, a synonym for the endless suffering of cyclic existence) and uses the theme of death as a metaphor for an entire cycle of tantric practice.

This thangka depicts the three dimensions of this protector –  the so-called ”outer” (shown in the centre), “inner” (shown left of centre) and “secret” forms (shown right of centre). In depicting these three forms of Yama Dharmaraja, its visual composition reminds the devotee of all of the most sacred dimensions to this particular tantric tradition. Such paintings are in effect mnemonic devices and meditation on their form is an important precursor to fullest visualization.

In his “outer form” this protector commonly appears in Mongolian ger shrines and is carried in amulets or gau as a protector deity. In this form, Yama is dark blue in colour, with a the head of a buffalo, three round eyes, sharp horns entwined with flame and is most fierce and angry. Held upraised in the right hand is a bone stick composed of a fused spine and skull. In the left hand is a coiled lasso. He is adorned with a crown of skulls and he wears a necklace of freshly severed heads. Appearing extremely animate, he stands with his right leg bent and the left extended on the back of a buffalo above a human body, sun disc and lotus pedestal. To the right is the consort Chamundi. Both Yama and his consort are adorned with bone ornaments and are completely surrounded by the swirling orange flames.

The painting itself is mounted in a precious orange-gold silk brocade of the finest weave and with a splendid dragon motif placed beneath the centre of the painting. The protective silk curtains are wholly intact - these serve to protect the thangka during storage and transport and also sustain the deity’s potency when not in ritual usage Altogether, this thangka is in splendid condition with no losses and with wear commensurate with age and devotional use. The central meditational deities are rendered in fully saturated and vivid colours which taken together greatly energise the viewer. A masterpiece.

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.

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