Page 14 - Tibetan Thangka Painting Methodsand Mat, Jackson

result. Tara, for instance, was effective in removing Thus, in addition to the desire for some immediate
obstacles and granting protection, while Amitayus benefit, there should also be a "wish to attain enlighten-
bestowed long life. After the creation of the sacred ment" (byang chub kyi sems). This altruistic thought
image the patron was often expected to practice the was believed to imbue the good act with the strongest
recitations and prayers appropriate for that deity. power, so that its force would persist until the attain-
A second reason that impelled ordinary people ment of enlightenment and not become exhausted after.
to commission thangkas was the death of a relative or conferring a merely temI:'orary benefit.
dear one. Thangkas painted for this purpose were called At its conclusion, the commissioning of a work of
skyes rtags ("signs of [good] birth"?). They were sacred art also entailed the "dedication of merit" (dge
commissioned in the name of the deceased, and were ba bsngo ba), which was closely linked to the desire for
meant to create the conditions necessary for propelling enlightenment. Merit dedication consisted of prayers by
the deceased to a happy rebirth. Such paintings had to means of which .a final seal was placed on the
be executed soon after the person's death, during the meritorious act, directing the merit thus accrued to its
seven-week period when he or she was believed to have ultimate fruition in enlightenment. Together with the
not yet entered into the next existence. Lamas deter- wish to attain enlightenment, the dedication of merit
mined the most appropriate deity for such thangkas, guaranteed that the deed would not be wasted in yield-
usually by consulting Buddhist astrological texts, but ing some small benefit, but would bear the highest and
sometimes simply from their own insight into the life lasting fruit. Thus, following the commissioning of
and character of the deceased. paintings or statues as a part of the· funeral observances
Many paintings were thus inspired by the universal (dgongs rdzogs) for a religious teacher or great person,
human desire to avoid suffering, to gain happiness and a religious assembly would gather in a temple and
longevity, and to ensure a happy state of existence formally dedicate the merit through the recitation of
following death. prayers.
Religious teachers encouraged their lay followers The third main reason why people commissioned
in these activities because such undertakings were based sacred paintings was to use them in connection with
upon a belief in the mechanism of moral cause and their own religious practice. Thangkas could be
effect: good deeds lead to happy experiences. Neverthe- important aids for Buddhist practices and observances,
less, from the teachers' point of view an act motivated and Tibetans therefore commissioned them according
by this belief alone was not complete. For the true to their particular needs. The creation of a thangka was
Mahayana Buddhist the ultimate goal of every not only a meritorious act in itself, but it also made
meritorious thought and action should be the attain- possible further religious activities in relation to the
ment of Buddhahood, for the good of all living beings. sacred image. An icon of the Buddha acted as a focus

Thangka in a formal photograph of the King of Derge's family.

10 THE ARTISTIC WEALTH OF OLD TIBET