Page 25 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Thangka Collection

Upon the completion of that vision, the deceased can wander freely
until one of the Six Buddhas of the Six Realms appears. They are
seen standing around the central figures of Samantabhadra and
Samantabhadri: Virabhadra (green), is Buddha of the demi-god realm
(Asuras); Sthirasimha (blue) of the animal realm (Tiryag); Dharma Raja
(blue) the infernal realm (Naraka); Jvalamukha (red) of the hungry ghost
realm (Preta); Shakyasimha (yellow) the human realm (Manusya); and
Indraraja (white) of the God’s realm (devas).

On the second day, Akshobhya appears (blue), seen to the viewers
left, holding a vajra and is accompanied by Bodhisattva Kshitigarbha
and Maitreya as well as the Goddesses Lasya and Puspha holding a
mirror and a lotus respectively. This vision risks leading the deceased
into the infernal realm whose luminous emanations can seduce him.

On the third day, Ratnasambhava (yellow) appears, accompanied
by the Bodhisattva Akashagarbha and Samantabhadra and the two
goddesses Mala and Dhupa. This vision risks leading the deceased
into the human realm again. On the fourth day the red Amitayus
holding a lotus appears. He is accompanied by Avaloketishvara and
Manjushri as well as the deities Gita and Dipa. This vision could risk
leading the deceased into the realm of hungry ghosts. On the fifth
day, the green Amoghasiddhi in union with Samayatara appears
surrounded by Vajrapani, Sarvanivaranaviskambhin, Gandha and
Nritya. The gods will then try to seduce the deceased in order to draw
him into one of their paradises or a temporary existence which would
further delay the deceased from liberation.

On the sixth day, the five Buddhas that have appeared in succession
now appear together, and in so doing will prevent far worse visions
that give the deceased bad karma. Indeed, on the lower register of the
painting one can see the tantric guardians in their cardinal directions.

The seventh day is the beginning of the cycle of the ‘Five Possessors
of Knowledge’ (Vidyadhara) who appear, with dakini, weapons and
kapalas, through light-emitting rainbows. The three protector deities of
Mahakala and Shridevi cycles are instructed to protect this process of
the bardo.

After these visions of a total of forty-two divinities, the deceased
- if he has not succeeded in escaping his own illusions or has not
deliberately chosen to be seduced by one of the six realms - will
have to face fifty-eight more appalling visions of Heruka depicted in
the second thangka. The mental state of the deceased suffers more
confusion, so that he is more and more disoriented by the terror and
anguish provoked by the visions projected out of his own psyche.

The eighth to twelfth days are dominated by the vision of the central
couple Maha Heruka and Krodhishvari; Heruka Shri Mahabuddha
(avatar of Vairocana, 8th day); Bhagavan Vajra-Heruka (avatar
of Vajrasattva, 9th day), Bhagavan Ratna-Heruka (avatar of
Ratnasambhava, 10th day), Bhagavan Padma-Heruka (Amitahaba,
11th day) and Bhagavan Karma Heruka (Amoghasiddhi, 12th
day). They are also accompanied by the eight Gauri (meaning ‘the
luminous’) and the eight Pishaci (or ‘the brilliant’) with heads of animals
and beasts.

These two paintings depicting the forty-two peaceful and fifty-eight
wrathful deities are the basis for the iconography of the Tibetan Book
of the Dead.

Compare with a related thangka of Heruka, 19th century, in the Rubin
Museum of Art, New York, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources,
item no.810. See also another related thangka of Samantabhadra
Buddha, 19th century, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item
no.73472.

B (Heruka, reverse detail)
THE JONGEN-SCHLEIPER COLLECTION | 23