Scenes from the Life of Gautama Buddha

Description:

Eastern Tibet, (Kham), 18th c.
77,8 x 54,8 (121,6 x 77) cm
Painting in tempera and rich gold, on cotton fabric, in a somewhat damaged silk border. This thangka is a part, probably originally of a group of three, with scenes from the historical life of the Buddha. The thangka shows scenes from the first period, from his birth at birth, his youthful years, life at the court of his father, King Shuddhodana, until finally the temptation by Mara. The second half of the stages of his life is on another thangka with events up to his entry into Paranirvana. A central image, also not present here, traditionally showed the glorification of Gautama Buddha with his central image accompanied by his two disciples Moghallana and Shariputra, with the addition of a gloriole with representations of allegorical animals as an indication of the virtues (paramita) of a world ruler. In the centre of this narrative worship image appears Gautama Buddha in his multi-part robe. In his left hand he holds a blossomed white lotus flower with two buds, and in his right hand the dharamacakra - "the eight-spoked wheel of teaching". The events depicted in this painting follow the text of the Lalitavistara Sutra, a biographical description of the life of the historical Buddha, according to Mahayana Buddhism, from the 2nd or 3rd century AD, and other sources. The upper left quarter of this painting depicts events of his early years: The vision of the white elephant, and the simultaneous birth of the miracle horse Kanthaka; the birth in the Lumbini grove, the first seven steps, life in the king's court, the proof of his youthful powers, the rides with his attendant Chandaka, and finally the renunciation of his royal dignities by taking off his princely clothes, discarding his royal jewellery and cutting off his long hair, which was kept in a white stupa as relics. Towards the centre are caves depicting the king's encounter with the seer Asita who prophesies about the Bodhisattva. The lower left quarter shows: the continuation of the Bodhisattva's journeys with his attendant, including an encounter with a blind man; the Bodhisattva's effortless felling of a mighty tree; and more. The lower right quarter shows: among other things, the encounter with a Naga prince at a river; food offerings to the Bodhisattva by a brother and sister; and meditations. The upper right quarter dramatically depicts the temptation of the Bodhisattva sitting under a tree by Mara's sisters and his sent demons, whose projectiles against the Bodhisattva all turned into flowers. Without a precise knowledge of the biographical text, some scenes are difficult to comprehend, as the artist often followed his own interpretations.
From a private collection in southern Germany, acquired before 2007 - Literature: Ernst Waldschmidt, Die Legende vom Leben des Buddha; Auszüge aus den heiligen Texten; aus dem Sanskrit, Pali und Chinesischen übersetzt und eingeführt von. Volksverband der Bücherfreunde, Wegweiser Verlag GmbH. Berlin, 1929 - The Lalitavistara Sutra, The Voice of the Buddha; The Beauty of Compassion; Translated into English from the French by Gwendolyn Bays; Dharma Publishing, 1983, Vol.1&2