Page 64 - CHRISTIE'S Himalayan and SOutheast Asian Works of Art 09/13/17

Himalayan Paintings and textiles

ANOTHER PROPERTY 1. At the age of nineteen he makes a pilgrimage to Sang Phu and Dewa Can;
2. At Gung Thang, a group of cattle involuntarily took him in front of Konchok
636 kyab where he learned about medicine;
A THANGKA DEPICTING TSONGKHAPA 3. When he travelled to Zhalu, he received the empowerment of thirteen
deities of Chakrasamvara from the heart son Nam Gyal;
TIBET, 18TH CENTURY 4. At Chozong, he had an audience with Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen and
Opaque pigments and gold on cloth received the empowerment and blessings of Chakrasamvara and Panjaratna
33¡ x 21¬ in. (85 x 55 cm.) Mahakala;
$30,000-50,000 5. He travelled to the jungle of Drigung and recieved the teaching of the
Boddhicitta of Mahayana from Spyan Snga Chos Kyi Rgyal Po;
西藏 十八世紀 宗喀巴唐卡 6. At age of seven he received the novice ordination from Cho Je Rin Chen
Don Grub;
PROVENANCE 7. He travelled to central Tibet along with Grigungpa;
8. Before he took the novice vow, he was brought to the vehicle of Vajrayana by
Collection of Henry Rolfs (1908-1994) and Zoe Rolfs (1925-2012), Florida, dharma master Don Grub Rin Chen;
by 1975; thence by descent. 9. He was born in the Tsokha region of Amdo, his mother was Shingza Acho
Acquired by the present owner from the above, November 2015. and his father was Lubum Ge;
10. He took lay Upasaka vows from the fourth Karmapa Rol Pai Dorjee and
PUBLISHED received the name Kunga Nyingpo.

Himalayan Art Resource (himalayanart.org), item no. 24335 On November 27, 1975 this thangka was the subject of discussion by the
venerable Geshe Lobsang Tharchin on a visit to the owner in West Palm Beach
This fnely painted thangka of Tsongkhapa (1357-1419) depicts the founder of Florida. Rinpoche described the diferent scenes, including the vignette on the
the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism seated on a lotus throne, his hands in bottom right where the young Tsongkhapa meets the Buddha:
dharmachakramudra while holding the stems of two lotus fowers supporting
a sword and a book. He is fanked by two students and surrounded by various “When Buddha was present in India, Tsongkhapa was born as a son of Brahma.
scenes from his life related to the numerous teachings and initiations he gave He met a bhiksu, a monk whose name meant wishing for wisdom. One day, this
his followers. The details of the painting, particularly the intricate treatment monk took Tsongkhapa to Shakyamuni, the Buddha, and Tsongkhapa ofered
of the robes and portrait-like faces of the various fgures, are noteworthy, him a mala made of one hundred pieces of white, pure crystal-clear glass in
especially for such a large example. Each vignette contains an inscription order to perceive directly what is called Sunyata.”
painted in gold describing the particular nature of the scene. The inscriptions
translate to (see illustration below right):

89
7 10

6 3 1
54 2

Geshe Lobsang Tarchin (1921-2004) for description of selected areas see above
West Palm Beach, Florida, 27 November 1975