Page 35 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Thangka Collection

7 (reverse detail)

The other thangka depicts the Buddha’s display of fifteen miracles The Buddha filled the world with light and Buddhas expounding the
over the course of fifteen days performed at Shravasti in Northern teachings; on the fourteenth day King Udrayana made offerings to
India; from the top right and clockwise: on the first day, the Buddha Buddha; on the fifteenth and final day, King Bimbisara brought gifts
created a bounteous tree by planting his tooth-pick in the ground; to Buddha. Buddha then told King Bimbisara to bring vessels for
on the second day, it is said that Buddha manifested two mountains; food and the vessels were miraculously filled with foods of a hundred
on the third day, he produced a jewel lake; on the fourth, voices different tastes. When the assembly ate them, their bodies and
came from the lake explaining all aspects of the Dharma; on the fifth minds were completely satisfied. As on all the previous days, those
day, golden light spread from his countenance and filled the world, assembled attained new measures of enlightenment and virtue.
purifying the emotional poisons of sentient beings; on the sixth day,
he allowed people to read each others’ thoughts; on the seventh, The Buddhist Creed is inscribed in Ume script on the reverse of the
he transformed his benefactors into world-rulers; on the eighth day, painting, and may be translated as:
the Buddha pressed down on the throne with the fingers of his right
hand, and the fierce Vajrapani appeared from beneath, brandishing ‘All phenomena arise from causes; Those causes have been taught
a flaming vajra at heretic teachers. Four beings in Vajrapani’s retinue by the Tathagata, And their cessation too has been proclaimed by the
scattered the heretics and smashed their thrones. Each were terrified Great Shramana.’
and leapt into the river. Then the Buddha radiated light which filled the
sky. On the tip of each ray was a Buddha teaching the Dharma; on A related thangka from another set of this rare theme depicting Kagyu
the ninth day offerings were made to Buddha while he expounded the monks surrounded by scenes from the life of Buddha is illustrated on
teachings, shining light in all directions; on the tenth day the four great Himalayan Art Resources, item no.77195.
kings who protect the Dharma invited Buddha to speak. Again rays
of light streamed from him, showing the teachings; on the eleventh
day more offerings were made to Buddha, who was seated upon the
throne in meditation; although the assembly could not see his form,
his body radiated light, while a great voice expounded the teaching;
on the twelfth day the Buddha entered into the meditation of great
love, and golden light radiated from his body, extending throughout
the worlds. The rays of light cleared the three poisons from the minds
of everyone and their compassion increased; on the thirteenth day,
King Shun Tsin made offerings to Buddha.

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