Buddhism is a religion founded by Gautama Buddha (6th century BC). All Buddhists revere Buddha as the founder of the spiritual tradition that bears his name. In almost all areas of Buddhism there are monastic orders, whose members act as teachers and clergy for the laity. Beyond these commonalities, however, the many strands of modern Buddhism exhibit diversity in both belief and religious practice. In its classical form (Theravada, “school of elders,” or Hinayana, “lesser vehicle”) Buddhism is primarily philosophy and ethics. The goal of believers is to achieve nirvana, a blissful state of insight and liberation from the shackles of one’s self, the world and the endless circle of births, deaths and new births in a chain of new lives. A state of spiritual perfection is achieved through humility, generosity, mercy, abstinence from violence and self-control. The branch of Buddhism known as Mahayana (“great vehicle”) is characterized by the veneration of a pantheon of divine Buddhas and future Buddhas. In other forms of Buddhism, ideas about a whole hierarchy of demons are common. Some varieties of Mahayana Buddhism promise true paradise for believers. A number of schools emphasize faith rather than works. There is a type of Buddhism that seeks to lead the adherent to a paradoxical, intuitive, non-rational comprehension of the “true reality.”
Buddhism was the only world religion that became widespread in China (neither Christianity nor Islam were ever popular there, remaining the property of only a small minority). However, the specific conditions of China and the characteristic features of Buddhism itself, with its structural looseness, did not allow this religion, like religious Taoism, to acquire a predominant ideological influence in the country. Like religious Taoism, Chinese Buddhism took its place in the gigantic system of religious syncretism that developed in medieval China, led by Confucianism.
Giant Buddhas and the First Buddhist Temple in China
The 108-meter Buddhist statue is located in the smallest province of the People's Republic of China, Hainian, on the southern coast of the country.
The 71 meter tall Buddha statue was carved into the rock during the reign of the Tang Empire in Leshan.
Emeishan is a mountain in Sichuan province. Emeishan, along with Putuoshan, Wutaishan and Jiuhuashan, is one of the four sacred mountains of Chinese Buddhists (3077 m above sea level). The Bodhisattva of this mountain is Samantabhadra, called Puxian-pusa in Chinese. According to legend, he flew away from the top of Emeishan on his white three-headed elephant. Since then, the mountain has been considered as his eternal residence. In the first century AD, China's first Buddhist temple was built on the mountain. Wanniansi, literally "Temple of Ten Thousand Years", the oldest temple still extant on the mountain (reconstructed in the ninth century), contains a statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva on his elephant, also around the 9th-10th century.
A lot is connected with Buddhism in the history of China, including what would seem to be specifically Chinese. Here, for example, is the legend about the origin of tea and tea drinking. Chan Buddhists in a state of meditation had to be able to stay awake, remaining motionless, for long hours. At the same time, falling asleep in such a state of prostration was considered unacceptable and shameful. But one day the famous patriarch Bodhidharma fell asleep during meditation. When he woke up, he cut off his eyelashes in anger. The eyelashes that fell to the ground gave rise to the sprouts of a tea bush, from the leaves of which they then began to prepare an invigorating drink. Of course, this is just a legend. However, the fact remains that the art of tea drinking actually first arose in Buddhist monasteries, where tea was used as an invigorating remedy, and then tea drinking became a national custom of the Chinese.
Buddhist deities
The art of circular sculpture was known in China long before Buddhism. However, it was Indo-Buddhist sculpture, genetically dating back to the Hellenistic-Kushan prototype, with the canons of images, poses and gestures characteristic of Buddhas, Bodisattvas and Buddhist saints, that gained popularity and became most widespread in China. In every Chinese temple you can find sculptural images, the manufacturing and design techniques of which in one way or another go back to the Indo-Buddhist. Along with Buddhism, the practice of sculpting a lion came to China, an animal that was practically unknown in China before Buddhism. Next, I suggest you look at antique Buddhist deities made of bronze, wood, gilded and inlaid with precious stones.
in Art. "Buddhist Art".
The history of the emergence of Buddhist cult fine art and the formation of its iconographic principles is associated with the Gandhara and Mathura art schools. The first of them arose at the turn of eras in the northwestern outskirts of present-day India, which was then the center of the powerful Kushan Empire (I-IV centuries AD), which by the time of its heyday (I-III centuries) included Northern India, most of Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of modern Central Asian states. Monuments of Gandhara art have been preserved in India itself, Pakistan (Peshawar), Afghanistan and on the northern bank of the Amu Darya. The emergence of this school was a direct consequence of the religious policy of the authorities of the Kushan Empire, primarily the legendary king Kanishka (I-II centuries), who proclaimed himself a Buddhist adept, and the Buddhist doctrine (in the version of the Sarvastivada school - Chinese. selfishly薩婆多部) is the country's official ideological system. The artistic features of the Gandhara school were formed under the strong influence of Hellenistic, so-called Greco-Bactrian art, due to which it is considered one of the direct heirs of ancient (Greek and Roman) sculpture. The interpretations of the image of Buddha (Chinese Fo), developed in it, used to convey the physical and spiritual perfection of man, are compared with Hellenistic artistic techniques embodied in the image of Apollo. But, having adopted the idea and form of humanoid divine characters from Greco-Roman art, the Gandhara school also used national artistic experience. As a result, the iconographic direction created in it combined the aestheticism and realism of ancient sculpture with the naturalism of Indian sculpture. src="/gim-211-250x"> Gandhara school. Statue of a seated Buddha (height 45 cm, from the collection of the Guimet Museum)
The tradition of national Indian sculpture dates back to the culture of Harappa (late 3rd - early 2nd millennium BC), which formed the core of the general cultural and historical complex, scientifically called “Indian civilization”. Buddhist religious art itself originated in the 3rd century. BC, in the art of the Mauryan era (IV-II centuries BC), when the first centralized state of the imperial type arose in India, and Buddhism received the status of a state religion. The consequence of this was the creation of monuments of Buddhist religious architecture - stupas, predecessors of Chinese pagodas ( that
塔). The surfaces of the stupas were decorated with high relief images of religious symbols and ancient Indian divine characters. They outlined one of the main specific features of religious art associated with Buddhism - endowing images and their individual elements with deep religious and philosophical meaning, which gave rise to the formation of Buddhist iconography. The Gandhara school also adopted this symbolism, and its national artistic roots were even stronger than the Hellenistic influence. Unlike Greco-Roman sculpture, Buddha in Gandhara art was not only the embodiment of human bodily beauty and an object of aesthetic pleasure: all the details of his appearance were given symbolic meanings. src="/gim-212-250x"> Gandhara school. Bodhisattva statue (height 120 cm, from the collection of the Guimet Museum)
The Mathura school arose around the 1st century. AD or a little earlier, in the very heart of the Ganges Valley (Mathura). Not avoiding some influence of the Gandhara school and, consequently, Hellenistic art, it relied mainly on local artistic experience, which allows us to consider it the first purely national Indian art school, which implemented the traditions of not only fine art, but also dance art, which was considered a religious art in India. ritual sphere. The dance crystallized an integral system of poses and gestures that had religious and cosmological semantics. Even before the advent of Buddhism and Buddhist psychotechniques, this system was partially transformed into psychotechnics and adopted by yogic practices, which were used by wandering ascetic preachers - shramanas (Chinese. shamen沙門) and adherents of Jainism, a religious system that arose around the middle of the 1st millennium BC. and significantly influenced the development of the spiritual culture of India.
The achievements of the Gadhara and Mathura schools were continued in the art of the 4th–6th centuries, when Northern India was again united under the auspices of the Gupta dynasty (320 - ca. 535). The Gupta art school, best represented in the sculpture and architecture of the temples of Ellora (modern state of Maharashtra), also has strong Jain and Hindu cultural and artistic origins.
In addition, at a certain stage, Buddhist fine art was influenced by the Vajrayana, the “diamond vehicle” (Chinese. jin-gan-sheng金剛乘, mi-zong 密宗 , in scientific terminology - tantric Buddhism, tantrism), - the most recent movement, which emerged, perhaps, in the first centuries AD. within the framework of the Mahayana, “great vehicle” (Chinese: da shen 大乘), - an alternative to the Hinayana, “small vehicle” (Chinese: xiao sheng 小乘), the main direction of Buddhism. It was Vajrayana, which formed the esoteric part of Mahayana Buddhism, that contributed to the establishment of a variety of artistic interpretations of characters existing in three main forms: “calm” (represented in an ideal anthropomorphic appearance), “frightening” (in the guise of many-armed and many-faced creatures) and “female” deities . According to Vajrayana teachings , in such guises, Buddhist deities, primarily anthropomorphic bodhisattvas (Chinese pusa 菩薩 , putisado菩提薩多) showed themselves to living beings, instructing them, acting as fighters against evil, or influencing the course of meditation. Vajrayana ideas and practices finally introduced additional semantic shades into many iconographic elements, deepening their semantics and giving them an esoteric meaning. It is generally accepted that without gaining widespread popularity in China, where this movement entered in the middle of the Tang era (618-906), Vajrayana mainly had a tangible influence, traceable from the Northern Song era (960-1127), on Chinese-Buddhist religious art.
The oldest Chinese artistic works associated with Buddhism known today date from the Later/Eastern Han era (25-220 BC). The most important of these are the image of a lion (shihzi 獅子) on a funerary relief and a tiny figurine of Buddha on top of a bronze model of a tree (qian shu 錢樹). However, the initial stage of the formation of Chinese-Buddhist fine art is unanimously attributed by researchers to the era of the Six Dynasties (Liu-chao, III-VI centuries), more precisely, to the period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (Nan-bei-chao, IV-VI centuries .), when, as a result of the partial conquest of China by foreign peoples, the areas of the river basin. The Yellow River came under the rule of the Tobi state of Toba / Northern Wei (Toba Wei / Bei Wei 拓跋魏/北魏, 386-534). It was in this state, where Buddhism acquired high political authority, that the creation of the most famous and large-scale Buddhist monuments began - the cave monastery of Mogao 莫高 (other names: Dunhuang 敦煌, Qianfodong 千佛洞, Caves of a Thousand Buddhas), rock temples of Binglinsi 炳靈寺, Maijishan 麥積山, Yungang 雲岡, Longmen 龍門. The artistic heritage of Toba Wei also includes examples of altar sculpture, for example, one of the largest is a bronze gilded statue of a standing Buddha (height 104.3 cm, 477, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). src="/gim-213-250x"> Chinese-Buddhist art of the 4th–6th centuries: bronze gilded statue of a standing Buddha (477)
From written sources we know about the creation of altar and temple sculptures from precious metals, iron, precious woods and semi-precious minerals, and the most impressive work is called a bronze statue of Buddha, approx. 14 m.
Buddhist religious art actively developed in the Chinese states proper, the so-called Southern Dynasties (Nan-chao 南朝), which successively existed in the 4th–6th centuries. in the river basin areas Yangtze. Written sources repeatedly mention southern temple sculptures, also made of various materials, including gold. Rock temples were also created, although they were inferior in grandeur and scale to the northern monuments. The most famous is the rock temple of Qianfoi 千佛崖 (Slope of a Thousand Buddhas) on the territory of the Qishiasi Monastery 栖霞寺 (in the vicinity of modern Nanjing). The construction of this temple began in 484 on a low slope at the foot of the hill, in which 294 small niches were made, filled mainly with single sculptures; in total there are 515 stone sculptures. src="/gim-214-250x"> Seated Buddha statue from Qianfoi rock temple (484)
On the level of development of Chinese-Buddhist art by the end of the 6th century. Written data about the activities of the founder of the Sui Empire (589-618) eloquently testify, according to which for those built on his orders approx. 4,000 monasteries produced 106,580 metal, wood and stone sculptures and restored 1,500,000 works left over from previous centuries. It is known for certain that during the IV-VIII centuries. In China, at least six regional Buddhist art schools have developed, the heritage of which is represented not only by rock temples, but also by individual sculptural works found during archaeological work, intended for Buddhist sanctuaries. The schools are named after the names of the corresponding modern provinces: Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Sichuan, as well as the southeastern (Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces). Each of them had a certain artistic originality in the particular interpretations of Buddhist characters and the technique of executing sculptures. For example, the Shaanxi school, whose activity can be clearly traced from the second half of the 6th century, is marked by the predominance of round sculpture made of white marble.
For example, the meter-long statue of Lokapala (the divine “guardian of the world”) has been preserved and is now on display at the Shaanxi Provincial Museum (Xi’an). Despite serious losses (the head and arms were not preserved), it amazes with the level of artistic skill. The manner of execution, conveying the naturalness of the pose, emphasized by the graceful curve of the human body, correct in its structure, reveals a frank admiration of nature, which is reminiscent of antique sculpture. src="/gim-216-250x"> Shaanxi Art School: Lokapala Marble Statue
The existence of the Shandong school became known only at the very end of the twentieth century. thanks to archaeological work on the territory of the monasteries of Yongningsi 永寧寺 (modern Guangqianxian County 廣錢縣) and Longxingsi 龍興寺 (Qingzhou region 青州), where large art workshops were located. Only in the Longsingsa Monastery were discovered (1996) about 200 sculptures and steles decorated with relief compositions on Buddhist themes, the earliest of which date back to the mid-5th century.
Most of the works were made of a local variety of limestone, grey-bluish in color, and there were also clay, wood, metal, marble and granite figures. Almost all of them were complemented by polychrome painting using red, malachite green, sapphire, yellow, brown, black and white paints; Gilding and decoration with gold paint were widely used. The images are distinguished by the sophistication of the design, the plasticity of the forms, the elegance of the proportions and the extraordinary care in the execution of all the details of the external appearance and attributes of the main characters.
Literature:
Buddhism. Pocket Dictionary / Comp. E.A. Torchinov .
St. Petersburg, 2002; Return of the Buddha. Cultural monuments from Chinese museums: Exhibition catalogue. St. Petersburg, 2007; Ermakov M.E. The world of Chinese Buddhism. St. Petersburg, 1994; Kravtsova M.E. Chinese version of the Buddhist canonical “Sutra on Signs”: Toward the study of the category “power” in Buddhist culture // East. 1998, no. 1; she is the same. History of Chinese art. St. Petersburg, 2004; Murian I.F.. Chinese early Buddhist sculpture of the 4th-8th centuries. in the general space of “classical” sculpture of the antique type. M., 2005; Pugachenkova G.A. Art of Gandhara. M., 1982; Samosyuk K. F. Buddhist painting from Khara-Khoto of the 12th-14th centuries. Between China and Tibet. Collection P.K. Kozlova. St. Petersburg, 2006; Sidorova V.S. Sculpture of Ancient India. M., 1971; Terentyev A.A. Experience of unification of museum descriptions of Buddhist images // Use of Buddhist collections in the criticism of Buddhism. L., 1981; Torchinov E.A. Introduction to Buddhology: Course of lectures. St. Petersburg, 2000; Tyulyaev S.I. Art of India. Architecture, fine arts, artistic craft. M., 1968;
Bei Qi Zhaojun xiang ji xiangguan wenwu and cun (Sculptures [found in] the Zhaojun region [kingdom] of Northern Qi and their connections with the cultural heritage of [this kingdom]) // Wen wu (Cultural heritage). Beijing, 1998, No. 10; Ding Fu-bao. Fojia da Qidian (Big Buddhist Dictionary). Beijing, 1984; LeeZhi. Fan Wei-i he ta dy “Guan-yin tu” zhou (Fang Wei-i and her painting “Guan-yin”) // Wen wu (Cultural heritage). Beijing, 1994, No. 10; Xia Shu-fang. Qixiashan (Qixian Mountain). Jiangsu, 1986; Chengdushi Shangyejie Nanchao shike jiaoxiang (Stone sculptures [era] of the Southern Dynasties, [found during archaeological work on] Shangyejie Street, Chengdu) // Wen Wu (Cultural Heritage). Beijing, 2001, No. 10; Shandong Guangqianxian Yongning-si shike zaoxiang (Stone sculptures [found on the territory of] Yongning-si in Guangqianxian County, Shandong Province) // Wen Wu (Cultural Heritage). Beijing, 1996, No. 12; Yang Hong. Guanyu Nan-bei-chao shi Qingzhou kaogu di sykao (Some thoughts on archaeological finds [in the county] of Qingzhou [Shandong Province] of the Southern and Northern dynasties) // Wen wu (Cultural heritage). Beijing, 1998, No. 2; The Buddhist Art of China // Arts of China. Vol. 2. Tokyo, 1969; Deneck M.M. Indian Sculpture. Masterpieces of Indian, Khmer and Cham Art. L., 1963; The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion. N.Y., 1999; Marshall J. The Buddhist Art of Gandhara. Cambr., 1960; Munsterberg H. Chinese Buddhist Bronzes. Tokyo, 1967; Rhie M. Interrelations between the Buddhist Art of China and Art of India and Central Asia. Napoli, 1988; Saunders. E.D. Mudra. A Study of Symbolic Gestures in Japanese Buddhist Sculpture. Princ., 1985; Super A. Literary Evidence for Early Buddhist Art in China. Ascona, 1959; Williams C.A.S. Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives. N.Y. 1976; Woodcock G. The Greeks in India. L., 1966.
Art. publ.: Spiritual culture of China: encyclopedia: 5 volumes / chapter. ed. M.L. Titarenko; Institute of the Far East. - M.: Vost. lit., 2006-. T. 6 (additional). Art / ed. M.L. Titarenko et al. - 2010. - 1031 p. pp. 183 - 200.
At the dawn of Buddhism, it was believed that the creation of images could not convey the abstract philosophy of faith, so only symbols reflecting doctrine, such as the dharmachakra (Wheel of Law, also called the Wheel of Doctrine or the Wheel of Life), were allowed. Gradually, these symbols were replaced by images of the Buddha, which were perceived more as a physical embodiment of the Buddha's teachings, rather than a portrait of a person. The sculptors were guided by Pali texts, which prescribed the most common poses (asana) and gestures (mudra) for the Buddha.
Of the four positions - sitting, standing, walking and lying - the most common in Thailand is the seated Buddha, depicted in meditation. A popular variation is the Buddha sitting on a coiled snake protected by its hood. This figure illustrates the legend of how the Buddha was meditating during the rainy season and the serpent offered to lift him from the wet ground and shelter him from a thunderstorm with a hood. The reclining pose symbolizes the Buddha's entry into Nirvana at the moment of death, while the standing and walking statues depict his descent from the Tavatimsa heaven.
The most common hand gestures are: dhyana mudra (meditation), when the hands are placed on the knees with palms up; bhumisparsa mudra (called Testimony of the Earth and correlated with how the Buddha overcame temptation), when the left hand is palm up on the knees, and the fingers of the right hand are located on the right knee and point to the ground; vitarka mudra (teaching), when one or both hands are raised to the chest and the tips of the thumb and index fingers are connected; and abhaya mudra (dispelling fear), when the right arm (and sometimes both arms) is bent at the elbow and raised, the palm is turned forward, away from the face, and the fingers are extended vertically upward.
All three-dimensional images of Buddha are objects of veneration, but some are valued more than others. Some allegedly exhibited human characteristics or responded in some way to unusual events, others performed miracles or simply aroused admiration for their beauty, phenomenal size, or even material value, such as those made of solid gold or jadeite. Most Thais are familiar with all these exceptional statues, each of which has been given a special name, always with the respectful prefix "Phra", and many of them have spawned a host of miniature copies in the form of amulets. Pilgrimages are made to see the most famous originals.
It was during the Sukhothai era that the real mania for creating footprints of the Buddha began. Harkening back to the days when images were symbolic rather than representational, such footprints were usually sculpted in plaster to capture the 108 auspicious signs or lakshanas (which included reference to the 16 Buddhist heavens, the traditional 4 great continents and 7 great rivers and lakes) and were stored in a special mondop. Few works from the Sukhothai period survive, but examples from the Ayutthaya-Ratanakosin era are found throughout the country. The most famous of them is Phra Phutthabat near Lop Buri, to which pilgrimages are made all year round. The feet of the famous reclining Buddha at Bangkok's Wat Pho also have 108 lakshans, beautifully inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or Diamond Vehicle) is a complex of teachings and meditation techniques that includes the Mahayana traditions, including Vajrayana. This branch of Buddhism originated in the 7th century in Tibet and then spread throughout the Himalayan region.
Tibetan Buddhism practices mainly tantric practices. Tantra is a Sanskrit word that means continuity. Tantra points primarily to the unchanging nature of the mind, an awareness that is beyond all limitations, that is neither born nor dies, that is continuous from beginningless time to final enlightenment.
The scriptures that teach about the unchanging, vajra nature of the mind are called tantras, and the body of knowledge and methods that directly reveal the nature of the mind is considered the third “vehicle” of Buddhism, which is known as Tantrayana or Vajrayana. In Buddhism, the Sanskrit word vajra means indestructibility like a diamond and enlightenment like a momentary clap of thunder or a flash of lightning. Therefore, the word "Vajrayana" can be literally translated as "Diamond Chariot" or "Thunder Chariot". Vajrayana is sometimes considered the highest stage of Mahayana - the “Great Vehicle” of Buddhism. The Vajrayana path allows one to achieve liberation within one human life.
Currently, Vajrayana is widespread in Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan, Nepal, Buryatia, Tuva, and Kalmykia.
Vajrayana is practiced in some schools of Japanese Buddhism (Shingon), and in recent decades in India and Western countries. All four schools of Tibetan Buddhism existing today (Nyingma, Kagyu, Gelug and Sakya) belong to the Vajrayana. Vajrayana is a path of transformation of our ordinary mind, based on the motivation and philosophy of the Great Vehicle, but with a special outlook, behavior and methods of practice. The main methods in Vajrayana are visualization of images of deities, or yidams, and in particular, visualization of oneself in the image of a deity to transform one’s “impure” passions, or emotions, into “pure” ones, reading mantras, performing special hand gestures - mudras, and honoring the Teacher. The ultimate goal of practice is to reconnect with the nature of our mind. To practice in Vajrayana, it is necessary to receive instructions from a realized Teacher. The necessary qualities of a practitioner are the motivation of compassion for all beings, understanding of the emptiness of perceived phenomena, and pure vision.
In addition, Tibetan Buddhism inherited a fairly extensive Hindu iconography, as well as numerous deities from the pre-Buddhist Bon religion.
Needless to say, there are a great many different Deities, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Tibetan Buddhism. In addition, each of them can appear to us in a variety of manifestations, significantly different from each other visually. Understanding the intricacies of Tibetan iconography is sometimes difficult even for a specialist.
Characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism is the tradition of transmitting teachings, spiritual and secular power within the lines of rebirths (tulkus) of prominent Buddhist figures. In its development, this idea led to the unification of spiritual and secular power in the line of the Dalai Lamas.
Here are the images most often found in the monasteries of Tibet.
Major figures of Tibetan Buddhism
Buddha
Buddha Shakyamuni (Skt. , literally “Awakened sage from the Shakya (Sakya) clan” - spiritual teacher, legendary founder of Buddhism.
Given at birth the name Siddhattha Gotama (Pali) / Siddhartha Gautama (Sanskrit) (“descendant of Gotama, successful in achieving goals”), he later became known as the Buddha (literally “Awakened One”) and even the Supreme Buddha (Sammāsambuddha). He is also called: Tathāgata (“one who thus came”), Bhagavan (“lord”), Sugata (Right Walker), Jina (Winner), Lokajyeshtha (World Honored One).
Siddhartha Gautama is a key figure in Buddhism and is its founder. Stories about his life, his sayings, dialogues with his disciples and monastic precepts were summarized by his followers after his death and formed the basis of the Buddhist canon - the Tripitaka. Buddha is also a character in many dharmic religions, in particular Bon (late Bon) and Hinduism. In the Middle Ages, in the later Indian Puranas (for example, in the Bhagavata Purana), he was included among the avatars of Vishnu instead of Balarama.
Most often depicted in the lotus position, sitting on a lotus throne, above the head, like all Buddhas and saints, a halo, meaning enlightened nature, hair, usually blue, tied into a bump on the crown, holding a begging bowl, right hand touches the ground. Often depicted surrounded by two students.
Supernatural Qualities of Buddha
The texts recounting the life and deeds of the Buddha constantly mention that he could communicate with gods, demons and spirits. They came to him, accompanied him and talked with him. Buddha himself ascended to the world of the celestials and read his sermons there, and the gods, in turn, repeatedly visited his cell on earth.
In addition to ordinary vision, the Buddha had a special eye of wisdom in his forehead and the ability to see everything. According to tradition, this eye gave the Buddha the ability to see the past, present and future; the eightfold (or middle) path; the intentions and actions of all creatures living in all worlds of the Universe. This quality is referred to as the six-factor knowledge of the Buddha.
In turn, the Buddha's omniscience is divided into 14 types: knowledge of the four truths (the presence of suffering, the cause of suffering, liberation from suffering and the path leading to liberation from suffering), the ability to achieve great compassion, knowledge of the constant variability of existence, knowledge of the double miracle and other types knowledge.
Buddha could descend underground, ascend to heaven, fly through the air, evoke fiery mysteries, and take on any form. On his body there were 32 large and 80 small marks characteristic of the Buddha, including moles endowed with magical properties.
Buddha achieved enlightenment at the age of 35. He preached throughout northeast India for 45 years. When he was 80 years old, he told his cousin Ananda that he would be leaving soon. This is described in detail in Parinibbana - Suttan. Of the five hundred monks, despite the fact that there were many arhats among them, only Anuruddha was able to understand the state of the Buddha. Even Ananda, who achieved the ability to see the worlds of the gods, perceived it incorrectly. The Buddha repeated several times that the Awakened One, if he wants, can remain in this world for more than a kalpa. If Ananda had asked the Buddha to stay, he would have stayed. But Anada said that everything was fine in the community and the Awakened One could leave this world. A few weeks later, the Buddha accepted a donation of poor quality food. According to one version, these were poisonous mushrooms. He said that "only the Awakened One can accept this donation." After a short time, he lay down on his right side in a grove of sal trees, accepted the last student as a monk, and went to Parinirvana. His last words were:
Everything created is subject to the law of destruction
Achieve your goals through non-promiscuity.
The birthday of Buddha Shakyamuni is a national holiday of the Republic of Kalmykia.
Buddha of the past, incarnated on earth before Shakyamuni Buddha. According to legend, he spent 100,000 years on earth. Often depicted together with the Buddha of the Future (Maitreya) and the Buddha of our time (Shakyamuni). Hands are most often depicted as a protective mudra.
Amitābha or Amitā Buddha (Sanskrit: अमिताभा, Amitābha IAST, “limitless light”) is the most revered figure in the Pure Land school of Buddhism. He is believed to have many worthy qualities: he explains the universal law of existence in the Western Paradise and takes under his protection all who sincerely appeal to him, regardless of their origin, position or virtues.
One of the Dhyani Buddhas, or Buddha of Infinite Light, is known as Amida Buddha in Far Eastern Buddhism. The Panchen Lama of Tibet (second in command after the Dalai Lamas) appears as the earthly incarnation of Amitabha. Depicted in red, in the lotus position on a lotus throne, hands in the mudra of classical meditation, holding a begging bowl. The Pure Land cult of this Buddha is known under the name Sukhovati or Western Paradise. Sukhavati is the paradise of Buddha Amitabha. (Tib. de va chen)
Sukhavati is a magical land-kshetra created by Dhyani Buddha Amitabha. Once upon a time, Amitabha was a bodhisattva and made a vow, having achieved Buddhahood, to create his own country, which would be called Sukhavati - Happy Country.
It is located immeasurably far from our world, and only those born in the lotus live in it - bodhisattvas of the highest level. They live there indefinitely, enjoying peace and boundless happiness among the fertile land, life-giving waters, surrounding the wonderful palaces of the inhabitants of Sukhavati, built from gold, silver, and precious stones. There are no natural disasters in Sukhavati, and its inhabitants are not afraid of the inhabitants of other areas of samsara - predatory animals, warlike asuras or deadly pretas. Besides Sukhavati, located in the western direction of the Buddhist universe, there are other worlds created by the spiritual power of other dhyani buddhas.
Bodhisattva Amitayus (Tib. tse dpag med) is an image of the deity of long life, called “Tse pag med” in Tibetan, and invoked in practices and rituals of life extension.
Buddha of Endless Life, a special form of Amitabha. Bodhisattva Amitayus is located in the Western part of the Mandala and represents the Padma (Lotus) family. He sits on a peacock throne; in hands folded in a meditation pose he holds a vase with the nectar of long life. A believer who constantly recites the Amitayus mantra can gain long life, prosperity and well-being, and also avoid sudden death.
Manla - Buddha of Medicine, (Tib. smanbla)
The full name of the Medicine Buddha is Bhaishajyaguru Vaiduryaprabha, Healing Teacher of Lapis Lazuli Radiance Manla. Like Buddha Shakyamuni and Amitabha, he wears the robes of a monk and sits on a lotus throne. His left hand is in the mudra of meditation, holding a monastic alms vessel (patra) filled with nectar and fruits. The right hand rests on the knee with an open palm, in the mudra of bestowing blessings and holding the stem of myrobalan (Terminalia chebula), a plant known as the king of all medicines due to its effectiveness in treating mental and physical diseases.
The most distinctive feature of the Medicine Buddha is its color, a deep blue lapis lazuli. This gemstone has been highly revered by Asian and European cultures for more than six thousand years and, until recently, its value rivaled and sometimes exceeded that of a diamond. An aura of mystery surrounds this gem, perhaps because the main mines are located in the remote Badakshan region of northeastern Afghanistan.
Healing Master of Lapis Lazuli Radiance Manla is one of the most revered Buddhas of the Buddhist pantheon. The sutras in which he appears compare his Pure Land (abode) to Amitabha's western paradise, and rebirth there is considered as high as rebirth in the Buddhist paradise of Sukhavati. Reciting Manla's mantra, or even simply repeating his holy name, is believed to be sufficient to liberate one from the three low births, protect one from the dangers of the sea, and remove the danger of untimely death.
Dhyani Buddha
Akshobya Amoghasiddhi
Ratnasambhava Vairochana
There are 5 Dhyani Buddhas in total, each with its own color and different hand position (mudra), in addition, the image of each of the Buddhas has special attributes. Dhyani of Buddha - Vairochana (Nampar Namtse), Akshobhya (Mikyeba or Mathrukpa), Ratnasambhava (Rinchen Jungne), Amogasiddhi (Donye Drupa), Amitabha.
Shakyamuni is the Buddha of our historical period. To understand his image we must realize what “Buddha” is.
The Buddha is both a human being and a divine being, whether in male or female form, who has "awakened" from the ignorance of sleep and purified all negativity, and is also the one who has "extended" his limitless power and compassion.
Buddha is a form of being that has reached the highest perfection. He is perfect wisdom (experiencing the true nature of reality) and perfect compassion (embodiing the desire for the good of all).
Buddhahood goes beyond suffering and death, and includes the perfect ability to experience and transmit happiness to all living beings.
He is often depicted sitting in a European pose on a raised platform similar to a chair or armchair. Sometimes he is depicted on a white horse. Sometimes he is depicted sitting in the traditional Buddha pose, with his legs crossed, or in lalitasana (a pose where one leg hangs down, sometimes resting on a smaller lotus, and the other lies as in the usual position of a Buddha).
Maitreya is decorated. If there is a crown on his head, then it is crowned with a small stupa (chaitya, chorten; a structure symbolizing the Universe in Buddhism). His body is golden yellow in color and he wears monastic robes. Hands folded in dharmachakra mudra (gesture of expounding Buddhist law). There is a form of Maitreya with three faces and four arms. One of his left hands holds a nagkesvara (saffron) flower, the position of one of his right hands is varada mudra (the gesture of giving a boon), the other two hands are folded at the chest in dharmachakra mudra, or in other gestures.
Maitreya is recognized by all sects of Buddhism. His name is often mentioned in commentaries in Buddhist literature.
It is believed that Arya Asanga listened directly to and wrote down the five treatises of Maitreya. As a result of long ascetic practice, Asanga was cleared of mental obscurations, and Maitreya appeared to him.
Another point of view also deserves attention: Maitreya Buddha is a bodhisattva, he can incarnate where he is most needed, the emanations of a Buddha can simultaneously reside in different worlds.
Bodhisattvas
Voted to achieve Bodhi (Enlightenment) and be reborn again and again until all living beings are saved. Thus, Bodhisattvas, unlike Buddhas, do not finally go to Nirvana after achieving enlightenment.
Bodhisattva of Compassion. Avalokiteshvara (Tib.: Chenrezi) means “compassionate gaze” or “Lord looking from above.” He shows infinite love and compassion for all living beings. The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was once one of the disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni, and the Buddha predicted that Avalokiteshvara would play an important role in the history of Tibet. In ancient times, the Tibetans were a warlike people, distinguished by extreme ferocity, and no one dared to influence them, with the exception of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. He said he would try to “bring light to this whole bloodthirsty country.” It so happened that Avalokitesvara chose the Tibetans, and not vice versa. Later, Chenrezig was recognized as the divine patron of the Land of Snow, and the Dalai Lamas and Karmapas began to be considered his emanations. Avalokiteshvara is the spiritual son of the Buddha Amitabha, and the figure of Amitabha is often depicted on thangkas above his head.
Avalokiteshara can manifest himself in 108 forms: as a Buddha, in monastic clothes, with a “third eye” and ushnisha; wrathful manifestation – White Mahakala; red tantric form with four arms; a form with a dark red body in conjunction with a rose-red humour, etc.
The most common form is with four arms. Chenrezig's body is white, his two main hands are folded in front of his chest in a gesture of request, supplication, this demonstrates his desire to help all beings transcend suffering. Between his hands he holds a transparent wish-fulfilling jewel, this means goodwill towards all types of beings: asuras, humans, animals, spirits, inhabitants of hell. In the upper right hand there is a crystal mala rosary with 108 beads (a reminder of the Chenrezig mantra). In the left hand, at shoulder level, there is a blue utpala flower (a symbol of purity of motivation). The skin of an antelope is thrown over the left shoulder (as a reminder of its qualities: the antelope shows special love for children and is very hardy).
The hair is pulled back into a bun, part of the hair falls onto the shoulders. The Bodhisattva is dressed in silk robes and decorated with five types of jewelry. He sits in the lotus position on the lunar disk, below the lunar disk is the solar disk, below is a lotus, usually of a natural shape.
There are many variants of images of Avalokiteshvara, the most popular is the four-armed form (Tonje Chenpo), where he is depicted sitting on a lunar disk resting on a lotus flower, the body of the Bodhisattva is white, in his hands he holds a rosary and a lotus flower, a symbol of compassion. Another popular form is the thousand-armed Bodhisattva (Chaktong Jentong) with eleven heads.
Manjushri - Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom, is a symbol of the Mind of all Buddhas. The body is most often yellow, with a crown on the head. To save sentient beings, he manifests himself in five peaceful and wrathful forms. In his right hand, Manjushri holds the sword of Wisdom, which cuts through ignorance, and in his left hand, a lotus stem on which rests the Prajnaparamita Sutra - the Sutra of Transcendental Wisdom. Ancient manuscripts describe the residence of Manjushri, which is located on the five peaks of Wutai Shan, northwest of Beijing. Since ancient times, thousands of Buddhists have made pilgrimages to the foot of these peaks. It is believed that a believer who worships Manjushri gains deep intelligence, good memory and eloquence.
In the lower left corner of the tank is depicted Avalokiteshvara, the embodiment of the infinite compassion of all Buddhas. His first two hands are clasped together at his heart in a gesture imploring all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to care for and protect all living beings and protect them from suffering. In them he holds the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel - a symbol of Bodhichitta. In his other right hand, Avalokiteshvara holds a rosary made of crystal and symbolizing his ability to liberate all beings from Samsara through the practice of reciting the six-syllable mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. In his left hand he holds the stem of a blue utpal lotus, symbolizing his impeccable and compassionate motivation. The fully bloomed utpala flower and two buds show that the compassionate wisdom of Avalokiteshvara permeates the past, present and future. A wild deer skin is draped over Avalokiteshvara's left shoulder, representing the kind and gentle nature of the compassionate Bodhisattva and his ability to subdue delusion.
On the right is Vajrapani, the Bodhisattva of Great Power. Body color is dark blue, holds a golden vajra in his right hand, stands on a lotus and a solar disk in the fire of wisdom. This triad - Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani symbolizes the Compassion, Wisdom and Power of all Enlightened Ones. Above the entire group, in the deep blue sky, is Shakyamuni Buddha, the Buddha of our time. To his left is Je Tsonghawa, the founder of the Gelug-pa school. On the right is His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV.
Green Tara (Tib. sgrol ljang ma)
Green Tara is the most effective and active manifestation of all Taras. The green color of her body indicates that she belongs to the family (genesis) of the Amogasiddhi Buddha, the transcendental Buddha who occupies the northern side of the Mandala.
She sits on a lotus, solar and lunar discs in an elegant pose. Her right leg comes down from the seat, thereby symbolizing Tara's readiness to instantly come to the rescue. The left leg is bent and in a state of rest (skrit. lalitasana). With a graceful movement of her hands she holds blue lotus flowers (skrit. utpala).
It is believed that Green Tara appeared from the teardrop of the right eye of Bodhisattva Aryabala. The color of her body symbolizes activity and instant fulfillment of any request of the believer.
Bodhisattva in female incarnation, a special female manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, which according to legend arose from his tears. Symbolizes Purity and Abundance and is considered a special protector of Tibet, very popular among the population, since Tibetans believe that Tara fulfills wishes. White Tara represents day, green Tara represents night.
The name "Tara" means "Savior". It is said that her compassion for all living beings, her desire to save everyone from the torment of Samsara, is stronger than a mother’s love for her own children.
Just as Manjushri is the Bodhisattva of the Great Wisdom of all Enlightened Ones (Buddhas), and Avalokiteshvara is the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, so Tara is the Bodhisattva who represents the magical activity of all Buddhas past, present and future.
White Tara has seven eyes - one on each palm and feet, and three on her face, which symbolizes her omniscience of suffering in the entire Universe.
Just like Green Tara, White Tara's mudra (gesture) signifies the granting of salvation, and the lotus flower she holds in her left hand is a symbol of the Three Jewels.
Protector Deities
Special forms of beings sworn to protect the Dharma. These can be both angry manifestations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and demon beings (Dharmapala and Iydams), converted by Guru Rinpoche (Padmasabhava) and also taking the vow of protectors of the Teaching.
Chokyeng (Four Protector Deities)
They are responsible for the 4 cardinal directions and are often depicted at the entrance to Tibetan monasteries.
Vajrabhairava or simply - Bhairava, literally - "Terrifying"), also known as Yamantaka (Skt. Yamāntaka; Tib. gshin rje gshed, lit. "Crusher of the Lord of Death", "Destroyer of the Ruler of Death", "Destroyer of Yama") - acts as the wrathful manifestation of the bodhisattva Manjushri. Yamantaka is also a yidam and dharmapala in Vajrayana Buddhism.
In the root Bhairava Tantra, Manjushri takes the form of Yamantaka to defeat Yama. Since Manjushri is the bodhisattva of wisdom, we can understand the allegory of the killing of Yama as the victory of wisdom over death, as the achievement of Liberation, breaking the chain of reincarnation.
The name of the yidam Vajrabhairava suggests that early Buddhist practices borrowed some features of Shaivism. The very name Bhairava (“Terrible”) is one of the names of Shiva (who is often called Mahabhairava - “Great Terrible”), a hypostasis in which he appears as a god of frenzied madness, dressed in the bloody skin of an elephant, leading a wild dance of monstrous spirits. Shiva's companion is a bull, his attribute (sometimes a hypostasis) is a naked lingam (phallus), his weapon is a trident, his necklaces are made of human skulls or heads.
Another name of Vajrabhairava is Yamantaka (“Overcoming Yama”), Yamari (“Enemy of Yama”), is considered to be a manifestation of the wrathful aspect of the bodhisattva Manjushri, which he accepted in order to defeat the raging king of the underworld. At the philosophical level, this victory is understood as the triumph of the diamond wisdom of the highest reality over evil, ignorance, suffering and death.
The Yamantaka cult is closely connected with Tsongkhapa, and since they are both emanations of the bodhisattva Manjushri, the entire Gelukpa school is under the patronage of the Yamantaka yidam.
Tibetans call Mahakala “Great Black Protector” or “Great Black Compassion”; he is both an idam and a dharmapala. The Mahakala Tantra dedicated to him, brought to Tibet in the 11th century by the translator Rinchen Sangpo, was written, according to legend, by the great yogi Shavaripa, who invoked the god during his meditation in a South Indian cemetery.
Mahakala in his basic, six-armed form is one of the main patrons of Tibet. There are seventy-five forms of this deity in total. The six-armed one, also called Jnana Mahakala, is especially powerful in defeating enemies. The practice of Mahakala pursues two goals: the highest - achieving Enlightenment, as well as eliminating obstacles, increasing strength and knowledge, and fulfilling desires.
Hayagriva (Sanskrit: हयग्रीव, literally “horse neck”; i.e. Hayagriva) is a character in Hindu mythology (in modern Hinduism usually as an incarnation of Vishnu) and the Buddhist figurative system (as the “wrathful protector deity of the Teaching,” dharmapala), also found in ancient Jainism. In archaic Hindu statues it is represented with a human body and a horse's head, in Buddhism a small horse head (or three heads) is depicted above a human face(s).
Hayagriva became a popular image in Buddhism (in Tibet and Mongolia under the name Damdin, in Japan as Bato-kannon). He appears many times in Tibetan Buddhism: in connection with the figures of Padmasambhava, the 5th Dalai Lama, and as the main deity of the Sera Monastery.
The origins of the image are associated with the ancient Aryan cult of the horse (cf. the cult of the horse in the Ashvamedha sacrifice). It was apparently later reinterpreted during the codification of the Vedas and the development of Vaishnavism and Buddhism. Among the Tibetans and Mongols, the image of Hayagriva is also associated with such a benefit as multiplying herds of horses.
Considered to be the wrathful manifestation of Buddha Amitabha. Often depicted in red.
Vajrapani (Sanskrit vajra - “thunderbolt” or “diamond”, and pāṇi - “in the hand”; that is, “holding the vajra”) is a bodhisattva in Buddhism. He is the protector of Buddha and a symbol of his power. Widely found in Buddhist iconography as one of the three guardian deities surrounding the Buddha. Each of them symbolizes one of the virtues of the Buddha: Manjushri is the manifestation of the wisdom of all Buddhas, Avalokiteshvara is the manifestation of the compassion of all Buddhas, Vajrapani is the manifestation of the power of all Buddhas, just as Manjushri is the Bodhisattva of the Great Wisdom of all Enlightened Ones; Avalokitesvara is the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, and Tara is the Bodhisattva who represents the magical activity of all Buddhas past, present and future. For the practitioner, Vajrapani is the wrathful idam (meditation deity) who symbolizes victory over all negativity.
Palden Lhamo is the primary protector in Tibetan Buddhism and the only female deity among the group of Eight Dharma Protectors (skrit: Dharmapalas). The female embodiment of Mahakala. She is especially influential in the Gelugpa school, for whose followers Lhamo is the special protector of Lhasa and the Dalai Lama. Her reflection appears on a lake known as Lhamo Latso, located one hundred and fifty kilometers southeast of Lhasa. This lake is famous for predicting the future reflected on its surface. Palden Lhamo (Sk. Shri Devi) is the Tibetan concept of a terrifying black Indian goddess. Legends unite her with both Tara and Saraswati. On the mule's rump hangs a ball of magical threads made from a weapon twisted into a ball. Here is also the eye that appeared when Lhamo pulled out the spear that her husband, the king of the cannibals, threw at her when she left Ceylon. The deities accompanying Lhamo are the Crocodile-headed Dakini (Skt. Makaravaktra) leading the mule, and the Lion-headed Dakini (Skr. Simhavaktra) behind her.
Chakrasamvara or Korlo Demchog / Khor-lo bDe-mchog, lit. “Circle of Supreme Bliss”) is the deity of meditation, the main yidam in the Chakrasamvara Tantra. Deity, patron of one of the highest tantras of Buddhism, the Chakrasamvara Tantra. Chakrasamvara Tantra was preached by Buddha Shakyamuni in the land of Dakinis. In India, this teaching was revived thanks to the yogi Luyipa, who, in a state of samadhi, received instructions on Chakrasamvara from the dakini Vajravaraha. The tradition of Chakrasamvara has survived to this day. The main focus of the Chakrasamvara Tantra is on generating four types of bliss (associated with the main chakras in the subtle body of a person). This is typical for mother tantras, which include the Chakrasamvara Tantra. It is easily practiced by people with artistic inclinations. Chakrasamvara has two main forms: with two or with twelve arms. In both cases he is depicted in union with the spiritual consort of Vajravaraha (Tib. Dorje Pagmo). Their union is a symbol of the unity of emptiness and bliss. Samvara's body is blue. He wears a tiger skin wrapped around his waist and an elephant skin. His four faces (in twelve-armed form) are yellow, blue, green and red. On it are bone decorations, a tiger with five skulls (a symbol of the five enlightened families), and a garland of 51 human heads. Vajravarahi is depicted in red color and has one face and two arms. Hugging her husband, she holds a kapala and degug in her hands.
Historical characters
Guru Padmasambhava, is the first main teacher of the tantric tradition in Tibet. Shakyamuni Buddha promised to be reborn in the form of Guru Padmasambhava to spread the Vajrayana teachings in this world. The Buddha predicted the actions of Padmasambhava nineteen times in the sutras and tantras. Exactly as prophesied, Guru Padmasambhava was miraculously born in a lotus flower in northwestern India, in the land of Uddiyana, eight years after the passing of Shakyamuni Buddha, approximately 500 BC.
Guru Padmasambhava appeared in the lotus as an eight-year-old boy. King Indrabhuti came to see him and asked him five questions: “Where did you come from? Who is your father? Who is your mother? What do you eat? What are you doing?" Guru Padmasambhava replied, “I have emerged from the unborn state, dharmadhatu. My father's name is Samantabhadra and my mother's name is Samantabhadri. My food is dualistic thoughts, and my work is labor for the benefit of all living beings.” When the king heard these answers, he became very happy and asked Guru Padmasambhava to go with him to the palace and live there as his son. Guru Padmasambhava went to the palace and lived there for many years. After leaving the palace, he fulfilled the prophecy of Buddha Vajrasattva: he traveled to various places in India, lived in cemeteries and performed various forms of meditation. He was already enlightened, but he performed these practices to demonstrate that meditation leads to enlightenment.
Guru Padmasambhava occupies a special place among Tibetan Buddhist schools, most of which trace their transmissions and blessings directly from him. He is the embodiment of all enlightened beings. Of course, all Buddhas work for the benefit of sentient beings, but because Guru Padmasambhava made the Vajrayana teachings available to us, he is considered a special Buddha of our era.
Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), founder of the Gelug school (Tib. dGe-lugs-pa or dGe-ldan-pa), which also became widespread in Mongolia and Buryatia (XVI-XVII centuries).
In 1403 in the Radeng Monastery (Tib. Rwa-sgreng), which belonged to the Kadampa school, Tsongkhapa compiled two fundamental texts of the “new Kadampa” (as the Gelukpa school is called in the Tibetan tradition): “Lam-rim cheng-mo” (“Great Steps of the Path”) and “Ngag-rim” (“Stages of Mantra”).
In 1409 Tsongkhapa established the “great service” (Tib. smon-lam chen-mo, Sanskrit mahвpraтidhana) in Lhasa, and also decorated the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in the main temple of Lhasa - Jo-khang (Tib. Jo-khang) with gold and turquoise.
The fifth Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso (lived 1617-1682) is the most famous Dalai Lama in the history of reincarnations, also nicknamed the “Great Fifth”. Under his rule, a centralized theocratic form of government was established. He also became famous for his numerous religious treatises in the Gelug and Nyingma traditions.
The future Dalai Lama was born in Tibet in the Chinwar Tagtse area of Thargyey district (Central Tibet) on the 23rd day of the 9th lunar month of 1617. In 1642, the Dalai Lama was placed on the throne of Shigatse. The ruler of the Oirat Khoshout tribe, Gushi Khan, announced that he would grant him supreme power over Tibet, which marked the founding of a new (after the Sakya school) Tibetan theocracy. Lhasa was declared the capital, as well as the seat of government, where construction of the Potala Palace began in 1645. In 1643, the 5th Dalai Lama received diplomatic recognition from Nepal and Sikkim as the political head of the Tibetan state. From childhood, the Fifth Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso, was calm and serious, and then showed himself to be courageous and decisive. A man of few words, he was always persuasive. As a Gelug, he supported prominent lamas of other traditions, for which he was subject to considerable criticism. He ignored her because he preferred to be familiar with the beliefs and teachings of his rivals rather than remain ignorant of them... He was compassionate towards his subjects and could be ruthless in suppressing rebellions. In his work on issues of secular and spiritual life, he notes that there is no need to sympathize with a person who should be executed for his crimes.
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Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso figures prominently in the Nyingmapa lineage, and Dudjom Rinpoche wrote about him in his famous History of the Nyingma School, placing him among other important tertons. This reference is related to his revelations of the pure vision of Gyachen Nyernga, which means the Twenty-Five Sealed Teachings.
Those times were characterized by religious and political conflicts between Tibetan religious traditions. Khoshout Khan Gushi, the patron of the Gelug tradition, crushed the opposition in Kham, Shigatse and other regions. Some of the monasteries were reorganized into Gelug monasteries, several monasteries were destroyed. In particular, the monastery of the late Taranatha was destroyed. Khan Gushi transferred all power in Tibet to the V Dalai Lama. In 1645, construction of the Potala Palace began in Lhasa. In 1652, at the invitation of the Shunzhi Emperor, the Dalai Lama arrived in Beijing at the Yellow Palace, specially built for him. The Emperor bestowed upon him the title of "Penetrating, thunder-scepter-bearing, ocean-like lama", receiving in return the title of "Heavenly God, Manjushri, the Supreme, the Great Lord."
The prophecies of several revelations of pure vision speak of the Fifth Dalai Lama as the embodiment of the enlightened activity of King Trisong Detsen.
He felt a deep connection with the Nyingma tradition and Guru Padmasambhava, and among his most important teachers were such great Nyingma masters as Tsurchen Choying Rangdrol, Khenton Paljor Lhundrup, Terdag Lingpa and Minling Terchen Jyurme Dorje.
He departed from this world in his sixty-sixth year (1682) at the Potala residence while meditating on Kurukulla, the deity associated with the powers of mastery and subjugation. This was seen as an auspicious sign and an indication of the strength of his enlightened activities in the future.
However, his death was concealed for political purposes for 15 years by his prime minister, who found a double to replace him.
[Son'-tsen Gam-po]) was the thirty-third king of the Chogyal dynasty (Tib. chos rgyal = Skt. dharmarāja - "King of Dharma"), and he was the first of the three great Dharmaraja kings who spread Buddhism in Tibet. He was also called Tride Songtsen and Tri Songtsen (Tib. khri lde srong btsan, khri srong btsan). According to Budon Rinchendub, Songtsen Gampo's lifetime was 617–698 AD. During his reign, the first Buddhist temples were built. The famous temple of Lhasa, Rasa Trulnang, was built. This temple was later renamed Jokhang (Tib. jo khang - “Temple of Jowo”).
On thangkas, Songtsen Gampo is depicted as a king sitting on a throne. In his hands is often depicted the Wheel of the Law and a lotus flower, on his head is an orange or gold turban, on top of which is depicted the head of Buddha Amitabha. Usually, two wives are depicted next to him: on the left side - Wencheng, on the right side - Bhrikuti.
The grandson of Songtsen Gampo, the next Tibetan monarch, patron of Buddhism, under him the first Samye monastery was built. He was the thirty-seventh king of the Chogyal dynasty. Time of his life: 742–810. King Trisong Detsen was the second great Dharmaraja of Tibet after Songtsen Gampo. With the assistance of this king, Buddhism spread widely in the Land of Snows. Trisong Detsen invited Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita, Vimalamitra and many other Buddhist teachers from India to Tibet(*). During his reign, the first Tibetans took monastic vows, pandits and Lotsawas(**) translated many Buddhist texts, and numerous centers for spiritual practice were established.
* It is said that during his reign, Trisong Detsen invited one hundred and eight Buddhist teachers to Tibet.
** Lotsawa (Tib. lo tsa ba - translator) Tibetans called translators who translated Buddhist texts into Tibetan. They worked closely with the Indian pandits. Buddhist scholars were called pandits
Tibetan yogi and mystic of the 11th century (1052-1135). Teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, famous yogi practitioner, poet, author of many songs and ballads that are still popular in Tibet, one of the founders of the Kagyu school. His teacher was Marpa the translator. From the age of forty-five, he settled in the Drakar Taso (White Rock Horse Tooth) cave and also became a traveling teacher. Milarepa mastered numerous meditation practices and yogic practices, which he passed on to his students.
*The history of the Potala, the palace of the Dalai Lamas, dates back to the 7th century, when King Songtsen Gampo ordered the construction of a palace in the center of Lhasa, on Red Mountain. The name of the palace itself comes from Sanskrit, and means “Mystical Mountain”. Later, the Fifth Dalai Lama, who united the scattered feudal principalities into a single state, for which he was popularly nicknamed “The Great,” rebuilt and enlarged the palace. The Potala is located at 3,700 meters above sea level, its height is 115 meters, divided into 13 floors, with a total area of more than 130,000 square meters. There is no exact data on how many rooms and halls there are in the Potala. Their number is “several over a thousand,” and there are very few people who have been able to get around them all. The Potala Palace is included in the UN World Heritage Book.
Resources used
The medieval Buddhist icon - "thangka" or "hiruk" - owes its origin to the religion that arose in India in the 5th century BC. Having first spread among the peoples of the countries of South, Southeast Asia and the Far East, in the first centuries of our era Buddhism penetrated into Central Asia. At the beginning of the 13th century, the rulers of the nomadic Mongols, Genghis Khan and his successors, became acquainted with it, and from the beginning of the 16th century, the intensive introduction to this religion of the broad masses of the Mongols, Buryats and Kalmyks began.
A significant role in this process belonged to the Buddhist icon, which translated the most complex metaphysical constructions into the language of an image that was understandable to both a monk who had accepted the highest rank of initiation and a commoner. In addition, until the beginning of the 20th century, there was an ancient tradition of oral history that explained this or that image. When pilgrims from all over the country gathered in Buddhist monasteries for religious holidays, in front of them, on the walls of houses, fences, specially constructed structures, or on the steep slopes of mountains and hills, images of saints and Buddhas drawn on fabric, surrounded by scenes from their lives, were stretched out.
The monks spent many hours explaining and showing images of deities and scenes from their lives, gathering large crowds of people around them. These monks were recognized by the images of the sun and moon mounted on their headdresses, and by the arrow pointer that they held in their hands during the story. The favorite heroes of such stories were Buddha Shakyamuni, the famous Buddhist preacher Padmasambhava, and the famous mystic poet Milarepa.
Following the instructions of the great Indian preacher Atisha (982-1064), Buddhists paid special attention to the psychophysical features of the perception of their teaching. It was assumed that his awareness took place on two levels. The first covered only a small part of the clergy involved in developing the theory and practice of Buddhism. For them, a representative temple icon was created, which was poorly understood by most believers. It served as a visual illustration of such sections of the theory of Buddhism as cosmology, the doctrine of continuity, and was used to transfer secret sections of Buddhist knowledge “from the mouth of the teacher to the ear of the student,” as well as during meditation. The second level assumed knowledge of Buddhism, accessible to the broad masses who accepted Buddhism, as well as to those who were just becoming familiar with this teaching.
ICONS IN THE TEMPLE
Representative icons were usually large in size. Artists-lamas who had professional training and a certain fame were involved in their creation. The execution and consecration of such icons took place according to a strict ritual; their placement in the interior of the temple was clearly prescribed. On the sides of the entrance there were two compositions: to the left of the entrance - a mandala along with a calendar, to the right - the composition “Wheel of Samsara”, which was a figurative expression of the fundamentals of the teachings of Buddhism - reward for accomplished deeds.
In the center of the northern wall, opposite the entrance and in long flat display cabinets along the eastern and western walls of the temple, sculptured images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas were placed. The icons were suspended from the ceiling along the eastern, northern and western walls, hanging on long cords above the central space of the temple, like a kind of canopy. Some of them are located in special icon cases in the altar part, between the sculptural images. Finally, they completely occupy the northern wall of the special superstructure of the second floor, the so-called “gonkhon”, forming a kind of icon row.
They depict Buddhas, bodhisattvas, guardians of Buddhist teachings, scenes from the life of Buddha Shakyamuni, a series of fifteen miracles performed by him in Sravasti, popular jatakas (stories about past reincarnations of Buddha Shakyamuni). They served as an edifying story, a figurative presentation of the history of Buddhism.
In the main part of the temple, located near the northern wall - the "seat of Buddha Shakyamuni" - hung icons representing characters associated with the temple's patron and his surroundings. Their design resembles an iconostasis. Sometimes special pavilions are erected for them, for example, in the debate garden. These light pavilions consist of a central part and two smaller side ones, separated from the central one by small columns. Sculptures or paintings of Shakyamuni Buddha surrounded by the bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Manchushri are located here.
Icons can play the role of sacred attachments inside large and small statues, and be placed in the foundation of suburgans (stupas) and other memorial structures. They are ordered as dedicatory gifts in gratitude for recovery from an illness, the birth of a child, the successful completion of a difficult journey, and so on. They can serve to correct character or improve previous karma, then they are ordered in the monastery, according to the instructions of the mentor lama.
The pictorial image of the deity, as a temporary reflection of the eternal essence, recorded during the act of self-discovery, was used for meditation. Moreover, the meditator took such a pose, repeated such mudra gestures and took into his hands such objects that were similar to the object of his contemplation represented on the icon, thus tuning his psyche in a certain way. During meditation, he must imagine that his body in relation to the divine “patron” is the same as the reflection in the mirror: neither the same nor different, while contemplating not only the image of the deity, but also the signs, letters that are an expression of his essence .
There were personal icons, which were incomparably more numerous than representative ones and which were intended primarily for contact with the deity. With all its content, such an icon sought to establish a spiritual connection with the person praying, to respond to his appeal. There were many legends about self-revealed images on rocks, walls of monasteries and temples. There was an idea of independent feelings of the image. It was believed that the older it is, the more power it has. Well-being, family multiplication, livestock offspring - everything in this world depended on the favor of the deities. They received in folk Buddhism very real earthly places of their habitat. For example, the Bodhisattva Manchushri is located in the Wutai Mountains in northern China, and Tara's residence was on the island of Putuo opposite the seaside city of Ningpo.
Among personal icons, preference is given to those plots and characters that had an impact on specific deeds and events. This explains the spread of images of Tara, whose cult absorbed the veneration of the ancient deity of the earth and the Buddhist idea of her as the embodiment of a moral symbol of mercy and compassion. The image of the White Old Man - the giver of fertility - has become equally popular.
The inscriptions on the icons - short, usually monosyllabic - served as a kind of hint on how to perceive this or that image. On the front side of the icon the inscriptions are very brief. Filled with a thin golden line, they are placed on a free area of the background or “hidden” - inscribed in the petals of the lotus on which the character is standing or sitting. The inscriptions can practically only be read from a very close distance. They are completely lost when the scroll is hung in the interior of the temple. Such inscriptions were intended to clarify the name of the main character and his entourage. There were inscriptions of a different kind. They were applied to paper labels or pieces of silk sewn to the top bar of the icon; they indicated the order of location of the image in the interior of the temple. These inscriptions were very brief and consisted of only two words: “second from the left”, “third from the right” and so on.
According to their functional purpose, icons were divided into two groups. The first included “one-day images” created during contemplation over the course of one day, executed in the tradition of passing on teachings from teacher to student. These “meditative” images were often performed on a black background and were called “black letter” - “nagtan”, or written on a red background: “red letter” - “martan”. In this case, the image itself was applied by the artist as a contour line with white or gold paint.
Another group of icons were made to order, for any occasion: the birth of a child, an anniversary, the death of a loved one, the beginning or end of an important undertaking. They were never sold or bought, but were passed from hand to hand with the goal of acquiring “good merits” for the future better birth of both the customer and the performer. When ordering any image, a person usually tried to “improve” himself: improve his health, improve his spiritual qualities. Thus, an angry, easily excitable person was offered the image of a “calm” deity; a sick person should always have with him the image of the Buddha of Healing or the Buddha of Endless Life, Amitayus.
The themes of thangkas were varied. They were divided into several groups. The first includes images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. There were three categories in the depiction of Buddhas. The first is the Buddhas of the past, the present period and the future. They were supposed to wear monastic dress, symbolizing the complete comprehension of discipline, meditation and wisdom in a state of deep self-absorption.
The second category of images is yidams - personal deities presented in calm or angry guises, male or female. The wrathful yidams were depicted in the rapid movement of a ritual dance, decorated with crowns of skulls, garlands and necklaces of the severed heads of demons, trampling on corpses. Their clothing is made up of animal skins, still dripping with fresh blood. Such clothes are a symbol of fearlessness and strength of its owner. The calm ydams were depicted in the guise of royal beings: in noble poses, wearing crowns of jewels, decorated with necklaces and bracelets, dressed in royal clothes. The third category of images - dharmakaya buddhas - revealed the Buddhist understanding of “absolute reality”.
The next group consisted of images of dharmapalas - “defenders of the teaching.” They appeared in the images of mighty heroes, often dressed in military armor and armed with swords, spears and other weapons. A separate subject group consisted of symbolic images of the Buddhist Universe - the “Wheels of Genesis”. The same subject group included images of offerings to the five senses and the mind, which existed in two interpretations: an angry one, when these offerings were depicted in the form of a heart, eyes, entrails, and a calm one - in the form of fruits, incense, and musical instruments. Other compositions were also known: eight emblems of happiness, three jewels in the form of multi-colored pearls, symbolizing the Buddha, his teaching and the monastic community.
The last group may include ritual diagrams - yantras, presented in the form of concentric circles, squares, the fields of which are filled with spell texts. They were folded in a certain way in the form of a rhombus, a square, a circle, with some small object placed inside - a grain, a thread, a grain of metal or a medicinal plant. The symbolism of the yantra was determined by its connection with a specific deity, who granted the owner of the yantra his protection from a specific danger.
To be continued.