Shakyamuni Buddha with Begging Bowl and Two Main Disciples Shariputra and Maudgalyayana

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Aside from the position of hands and feet, there are five more Characteristic physical marks which a meditator must possess – a straight back, straight shoulders, eyes focused on the end of the nose, lips and jaw in a naturally relaxed position, while the tip of the tongue touches the roof of the roof of the mouth.

The Buddha wears a monk's simple cotton robes comprises a wrap for the lower body, one for the upper body, and another to cloak the upper torso. As can be seen from monks in many sects in various countries, this dress requirement is still fully honoured in practice. Only in the art of painting has clothing become much more "chic".

The Buddha Shakyamuni had a number of favorite students. One was his cousin Ananda who appears frequently in early Buddhist literature. He is more popular in Sri Lanka's Theravada Buddhism. Ananda was well-loved and extremely popular because of his gentle character, and because he treated women as fully worthy, for he instructed nuns. Though the Buddha, did not consider women inferior, but reluctantly agreed to allow women into the order. The two disciples of the Buddha we encounter everywhere in Northern Buddhism are Shariputra and Maudgalyayana. They stand, from the Buddha's perspective, to the right and left of his throne, each holding an alms bowl and a jingling beggar's staff. As depicted in the present painting also. In the thangka they radiate holiness, with their prabhamandala, which are in painted in sky blue here. They stand on lotus. Shariputra and Maudgalyayana were sons of Brahmans and the pupil of an ascetic Sanjaya. Shariputra heard from the lips of Aswhvajit, a Buddhist monk, the following Verse:

"Ye dharma hetu-prabhava hetum tesham Tathagato hy-avadat, Tesham cha yo nirodha evam vadi Maha-shramanah". (Tathagata has revealed the cause of those phenomena which spring from a cause and also the means of their cessation, so says the great recluse).

This verse, epitomizing the teachings of the Buddha and which ultimately became the Buddhist creed. As Shariputra learnt the full Meaning of this verse from Ashvajit, he became a disciple of the Buddha, and Maudgalyayana followed his example. Later on, they became the two most important disciples of the Buddha. Ananda characterized Shariputra as – "small is he in his desires and contended; loving seclusion and detachment, of rampant energy." The prominence of Maudgalyayana lay in his possession of miraculous powers. He could transfer himself into any shape at will. The love between the "twin brethren" was mutual. Their strongest bond was the love of each for the Buddha. When away from him, they would relate to each other how they had been conversing with him by means of divine ears and divine eyes. Shariputra died on a full-moon day, so also Maudgalyayana two weeks later on full-moon day, and both before the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha.

Select Bibliography

Alice Getty, Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1962

Barbara Lipton & Nima D. Ragnubs, Treasures of Tibetan Art, New York, 1996

Ben Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangka, Holland, 2001

D. Mitra, Buddhist Monuments, Calcutta, 1971

H. Kern, Manual of Indian Buddhism,Delhi

1968, Lokesh Chandra, Transcendental Art of Tibet, Delhi, 1996

P.V. Bapat, 25,00 Years of Buddhism, Delhi, 1956

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".

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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.