Page 55 - Tibetan Thangka Painting Methodsand Mat, Jackson

the mal).<;lala. Sometimes the ultimate realization or Intervals between horizontal lines:
"Dharma-body" (dharmakaya) of the Buddha was also
said to be represented in paintings, for instance -in the crest jewel (nor tog) 2
form of Samantabhadra in some Rnying-ma-pa cycles. head protuberance (u~l'}isa) 4
The usual representation of the dharmakaya, however, top of skull to hair line 472
was the stupa. 10 As mentioned before, the latter was face 1272
considered to be the "mind-support" or "mind- neck 4
receptacle" (thugs rten) of the Buddhas, as opposed to chest 1272
the "speech-support" (gsung rten, the scriptures con- stomach 1272
taining the enlightened word) and the "body-support" side of hip 472
(sku rten, mainly physical depictions of enlightened thigh to pubic zone 8
beings in painted or sculpted form). junction of crossed legs 4
lower extension of knees 4
The Standing Buddha lunar-disc seat 6
lotus seat 12
The proportions of the standing Buddha are as follows:
There were thus a total of twelve horizontal lines for the
Vertical measures body grid, and two additional lines for the lunar disc and
lotus seat below.
head protuberance (u~l'}i~a) 4
top of skull to hair line 472 Intervals between vertical lines:
hair line to url).a 4
url).iito tip of nose 4
A total of nine vertical lines were laid down, and
tip of nose to chin 472
from right to left these appeared at the following
neck 4
intervals: 8 sor, 2 sor, 4 sor, 1272 sor, 1272 sor, 4 sor,
chest 1272
2 sor and 8 sor. The distance from the central vertical
stomach 1272 axis to the first lines on either side is the breadth of the
lower abdomen 1272
chest, Le. from the spine to the armpit. The interval
hips 4 between the next two lines (a total of 6 sor) brings one
thighs 25 to the outer edge of the shoulder. Finally, the outer lines
knees 4 indicate the edge of the knees.
calves 25
feet 472
Differences between Nirmiil'}akiiya and Sambhogakiiya
Horizontal measures (one side of the body, depictions.
including extended arm)
Buddhas in the Nirmiil).akaya form were painted with the
spine to armpit 1272 above proportions, and they were depicted in the garb
armpit to elbow 20
of a fully ordained monk (bhik~u). The Sambhogakiiya
elbow joint I
manifestations, on the other hand, wore the clothing and
forearm 16
ornaments of the Universal Emperor (cakravartin), and
wrist 1
had slightly different measures because of their different
hand 12
style of hair. The u~l).i~a head protuberance of the
Tathiigatas of the mal).<;lala and of certain yi-dam deities
one side 6272
was bound up within a large top-knot of hair. Therefore
the u~l).i~a itself was not counted as having a separate
full arm span: 125 sor
measure. Some systems assigned to the top-knot a
measure of one large unit (1272 sor) or even 15 sor. In
the tradition of Legdrup Gyatsho, however, these were
considered too long, and instead the top-knot was given
The Seated Buddha: Grid Construction a length of 8 sor, the crest jewel above it 3 sor, and the
jewel diadem in front of the top-knot 6 sor. 12
The above measures also establish most of the lines in Many of the great male yi-dam deities of a slightly
the iconometric grid that novice artists used as the basis wrathful aspect such as Kalacakra, CakrasaIJ1vara and
for their sketches. Because some additional lines were Hevajra also belonged to this same basic class since they
needed in the grid, certain iconometric manuals also are considered to be Sambhogakaya manifestations of
specified the exact number of lines and the intervals Buddhahood. Finally, tantric gurus were also drawn with
between each pair of lines in the grid. The following is the same proportions as a Buddha, according to a
from. the grid of a seated Buddha as drawn by Legdrup widespread tradition that was thought to have originated
Gyatsho: 11 . with 'Bri-gung skyob-pa 'Jig-rten-mgon-po.1 3

THE MAIN PROPORTIONAL CLASSES ,51