Page 50 - Bonhams asian Art Sydney May 2018

DR PAUL SUTHERLAND
COLLECTION OF HIMALAYAN
ARTEFACTS
PAUL SUTHERLAND 医生
收藏的喜马拉雅文物

Lots 87 to 94

87
A THANKA OF SAMANTABHADRA AND SAMANTABHADRI
Tibet, 1800s
Pigment on cloth, the reverse with Tibetan inscription
‘Om, ah, hum’, with cloth mount, framed and glazed
113.0 x 85.0cm
$22,000 - 32,000
Provenance
Dr Paul Sutherland, Sydney

Exhibited
Goddess: Divine Energy, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney,
13 October 2006 - 28 January 2007
The following description prepared by Carol Cains, Curator of South
Literature and Southeast Asian Art, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne,
Jackie Menzies, Goddess: Divine Energy, Art Gallery of New South accompanies this work on page 230 of the exhibition catalogue:
Wales, Sydney, pl. 146, p. 230 (illus.) ‘This thangka shows the Adi Buddha Samantabhadra in union with his
wisdom partner, Samantabhadri. They sit within a resplendent open
Exhibited in the 2007 Art Gallery of New South Wales exhibition, lotus, atop a shining white moon disc. Rays of rainbow light radiate
Goddess: Divine Energy, the accompanying exhibition catalogue from the aura that surrounds the pair and illuminate the dark sky and
includes the following explanation by Chaya Chandrasekha of ‘Adi hilly landscape.
Buddha couples’,
The Buddha Vajrasattva, with his characteristic vajra and bell
‘Among the distinguishing features of Vajrayana Buddhism is attributes, appears in the centre of the lower register, flanked by two
the concept of the Adi or Supreme Buddha and his consort - an hierarchs of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Inscriptions along
enlightened primordial couple from whom all other Buddhas and the lower edge of the painting identify these figures as Prahevajra on
deities within the Buddhist system emanate. Essentially, Adi Buddhas the proper right and Shri Simha on the left (inscriptions read by David
are embodiments of Buddhist teachings (dharma and ultimate Templeman).’
attainment - the successful end result of religious instruction.

In Buddhism, awakening is conceived as a combination of two 西藏十九世紀 普賢王如來繪像唐卡
core ideas; wisdom (prajna), the direct awareness of reality, and
compassion (karuna), altruistic action initiated by that knowledge. 展覽：
Buddhist symbology uses gender to articulate the two components Goddess: Divine Energy, 紐省博物館，
of attainment. The female represents perfected wisdom and the male 2006年10月13日至2007年1月28日，悉尼
represents immeasurable compassion. Adi Buddha couples articulate
the merging of wisdom (female) and compassion (male) to result in 出版：
awakening. It is the inseparable union of the two core constituents of Menzies, Jackie, Goddess: Divine Energy,
enlightenment that generates the entire Buddhist system.’ 紐省博物館，悉尼，圖版146，頁230

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