A RARE THANGKA DEPICTING MANTRAS AND A TEXT

Description:

Tibet, 18th/19th c.
79 x 47 cm
This thangka, which is rarely seen, is a special feature. It is related to the Bardo teachings (Tibetan Book of the Dead). In the uppermost fields, on the left and right, there are 3 syllables each of a six-syllable mantra: 'a a sha sa ma ha. The middle field of the top row also contains characters that have not yet been identified. Specifically, the mantra 'a a sha sa ma ha means, among many others, the essence or echo of the "pure awareness" of the deities expressed in these syllables. This mantra leads to "liberation by wearing" or by merely hearing it, in the way that it is worn on the body at the time of death or heard by recitation. Thus, this mantra liberates from rebirth in one of the Six Realms of Existence as known from the "Wheel of Rebirths" (Bhavacakra). These are: The World of Gods, Titans, Humans, Animals, Hunger Spirits and the World of Hell Beings. The fields below contain the syllables of the above mantra in different combinations for visualization by sight or hearing. In some fields there are fine line drawings with circular dots, symbolizing the subtle energy (tib. Thig le) associated with the respective syllables. The lower half of the thangka contains a text in black and red Tibetan characters with detailed meditation instructions. Tempera on cotton fabric.
Old German private collection, collected in the 1970s until 1988 - Partial minor age damage, wear, soiled