Page 57 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Thangka Collection

19
A THANGKA OF TSONGKHAPA AND THE
GELUGPA REFUGE TREE
Tibet, 19th century
Distemper on cloth, the reverse with a Tibetan
inscription, ‘om, ah, hum’, framed and glazed.
76.5 x 50 cm (30 1/8 x 19 3/4 in).

西藏十九世紀 宗喀巴上師皈依境圖

Referenced 參考: Himalayan Art Resources
item no.2188

Provenance 來源: The Jongen-Schleiper
Collection of Fine Thangkas

Published and Illustrated: A.Neven, Etudes
D’Art Lamaique et de L’Himalaya, Brussels,
1978, p.74, no.49

出版及著錄： A.Neven著，《Etudes D’Art
Lamaique et de L’Himalaya》，布魯塞
爾，1978年，頁74，編號49

An array of figures adorn a giant ‘wish- The tree hangs low with fruit, flowers and Manjushri. In his heart appears the figure of
granting gem tree,’ which is considered leaves. Hovering just beneath and sitting Shakyamuni.
to be a combination of the tree that the on individual clouds in the sky are the On separate clouds to the right and left are
Shakyamuni Buddha miraculously grew Four Heavenly Guardian Kings of the Four the masters of the Wisdom lineage and the
from a toothpick at Shravasti, the tree of Directions. At the lowest level of the tree Method lineage respectively. In the large
enlightenment, and the ancient tree of branches are the fierce protectors favoured central cloud above are more masters and a
ancestral life. This representation was first by the Gelug Order. In the row above are the vertical line of seven repetitive seated images
expressed by the First Panchen Lama, Sixteen Arhats. Each Arhat is finely portrayed of Manjushri. Maitreya is at the upper left and
Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662) in his as a distinct individual with an identifying Amitayus at the upper right.
famous poem ‘Mentor Worship’. attribute. Above are a large number of For a related thangka of Tsongkhapa and the
bodhisattvas and the Thirty-Five Buddhas Gelugpa Refuge Tree, early 19th century, see
This tree rises from a deep blue sea. On the of Confession. Shakyamuni, seated in M.M.Rhie, Picturing Enlightenment: Tibetan
banks at the lower right is a lama worshipping bhumisparsha mudra, appears at the centre Tangkas in the Mead Art Museum at Amherst
the array above and holding up an offering. of the group. College, Amherst, 2013, pp.80-91.
A table of finely-drawn ritual objects appears
before him. In the water is a miniature In the central position, high on the tree, sits THE JONGEN-SCHLEIPER COLLECTION | 55
representation of Mount Sumeru (the ‘World Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), the ‘Root Mentor,
Mountain’), which symbolises the universe the actuality of all Buddhas!’ as described in
in Buddhist cosmology, including a palatial the First Panchen Lama’s poem. Tsongkhapa
building on top to represent the heavenly was the founder of the Yellow hat Gelug
realms. On the opposite bank, in the left Order, considered a supreme authority on
corner, are the Seven Necessities of a World doctrines and texts. He is considered a
Ruler (known as Chakravartin): the queen, manifestation of the bodhisattva of Wisdom,
minister, general, war elephant, valiant steed, Manjushri. The stems of lotus flowers that
wish-fulfilling jewel, and the Great Wheel of flank him supports the Book of Transcendent
the Dharma. Wisdom, further showing his relation with