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Amitabha: The Buddha who Gives a Long Life -Tibetan Buddhist

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$110

Amitabha is a celestial Buddha known for blessing longevity. The name Amitabha also means Infinite Life which lends more splendor to the Buddha’s already well-revered iconography. He is believed to be blessed with infinite merit from being good in his countless past lives as a boddhisatva, or a person on the way to becoming a Buddha. Amitabha has 84,000 marks and virtues, and among other Buddhas, he is most similar to Shakyamuni. As shown in this thangka, Amitabha is painted while diamond pose-seated with his hands in meditation mudra. A closer look shows him as a human monk opulently dressed. His hand pose shows the thumbs touching and fingers joined together and the earth-touch mudra. Meanwhile, the Shakyamuni Buddha’s hands are usually in the earth-touching mudra where the right hand is pointing downwards atop the right leg.

According to Vajrayana, he originates from the hrih, or the red seed syllable, hence his red skin in this painting. He is also painted while holding a begging bowl, depicted in blue that contrasted well with the red skin. This bowl is believed to be filled with immortal nectar. Amitabha seats on a throne designed with petals. The lively colors used to paint the setting and backdrop also suggest that Amitabha is sitting at the center of Western Paradise, faithful to his representations in various forms of arts.

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Item Code:	TC03
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 10.5 inch X 14 inch Size with Brocade 21 inch X 34 inch

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Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Life, is represented here in his traditional iconography. He sits in the diamond posture, with both hands flat in the contemplation gesture, holding a vase in his hands.

Amitabha is shown richly clad and seated on lotus.He has elongated earlobes like the Shakyamuni Buddha.

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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.

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