Materia Medica of Vegetable Origin

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There were once believed to be more than three hundred species of medicinal plants growing in Tibet, and their supply was plentiful. However, when a survey was conducted in 1990 many were found to be extinct, including white sedum, fritillaria, Codonopsis nervosa, angelica, and ginseng root. The remaining medicinal plaints were also found to be greatly reduced, especially in the Kongpo region of Tibet (east of Lhasa and before Khamdo), and around Lhamo Lhatso, the sacred lake where the birthplace of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama was foreseen.

In this painting are shown the following herbal medications and their medicinal uses.

Wild rose pacifies rlung and eliminates jaundice. Lagotis grass helps to alleviate fevers of the full organs, turbid fever, and rigidity of the thighs caused by rlung disorders. Swertia alleviates fevers of the hollow organs, and jaundice. White gentian alleviates sore throat and fevers caused by poisons. Fritillaria heals fractures of the skull and alleviates fevers caused by poisoning. "Blue-thorned" poppy (Meconopsis horridula/paniculata) can heals fractured bones, alleviate fevers of the bones, and strengthen cancellate bone. Angelica alleviates fever in the heart, and poisoning. The flower and fruit of barberries (Berberis asiatica) cure diarrhea. Carex alleviates eye diseases and strengthens the eyes; it is also a remedy for wounds to the trunk. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) removes albugo from the cornea. Policeman's helmet (Impatiens) regulates heavy periods. Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) stops hemorrhages, reduces water retension in the limbs, alleviates serum disorders and edema. Withlow grass (Dontostemon) cures meat poisons. Caltrops alleviates water retension, arthritis, and kidney disease. Columbine removes foreign bodies such as an arrowhead, or a dead embryo. Strawberry extracts blood, pus, and serum. Cumin treats eye disease, poison, and fever caused by rlung disorder. Larkspur (Delphinium kamaonense huth) treats diarrhea.

This thangka painting was created by the monk-artist Ram Bdr. Lama, at the Lama Thanka Painting School in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu.

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.