Indian Adept (siddha) - (multiple figures)

肃火斤

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Arhat (Buddhist Elder) - (multiple figures)
(item no. 640)
Tibet

1700 - 1799

Uncertain Lineage

73.66x52.07cm (29x20.50in)

Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton

Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

This painting (HAR 640) depicting five arhats per composition and the painting HAR 122 depicting a single arhat are stylistically the same and were created by the same artist or workshop.

肃火斤

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Arhat (Buddhist Elder) - (multiple figures)
(item no. 225)
Tibet

1600 - 1699

Uncertain Lineage

50.80x40.64cm (20x16in)

Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton

Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

Ajita and Kanakavatsa, the Elders (Tibetan: ne ten, ma pham dang ser be'u, Sanskrit: Sthavira Ajita ca Kanakavatsa): the 2nd and 7th of the 16 Great Arhats, principal students of the buddha Shakyamuni.


At the top left is arhat Ajita with a handsome face and a short brown beard. A red brocade cloth tied in front about the neck covers the head. The hands are placed in the lap in the mudra of meditation with the palms facing up, right over left. Attired in a long green jacket with broad sleeves, the left shoulder is covered with a red patchwork robe loosely wrapped about the legs. Atop a blue monk's mat he is seated in meditation posture with the head framed by a pink areola of light. Behind, trees twist upward and mountains fill the background. At the side, a standing monk attendant holds a bowl upraised with both hands. At the top center is a seated Buddha with the right hand performing the mudra of generosity and the left in meditation; seated on a lotus flower surrounded by light.

"On the Rishi Mountain in Crystal Forest is the noble elder Ajita, surrounded by 100 arhats; homage to the one with both hands placed in meditation." (Sakya liturgical verse).

At the right side is the arhat Kanakavatsa with an elderly appearance, grey hair and wrinkles. The two hands are held to the sides holding a long jewel lasso - a gift of the nagas. Wearing a blue brocade jacket with open sleeves and red trim, the left shoulder is covered with the orange patchwork robe of a monk. In a relaxed posture with the right leg drawn up and left extended - wearing sandals on the feet, he sits atop a meditation mat. The head is framed by a bright red areola of light. A monk attendant stands at the right holding aloft a black begging bowl.

"In the excellent land of Kashmir is the noble elder Kanakavatsa, surrounded by 500 arhats; homage to the one holding a jewel lasso." (Sakya liturgical verse).

At the bottom left is the Guardian King of the Southern Direction and Lord of the Kumbhanda, Virudhaka, blue in colour, with a slightly fierce expression, bulging eyes and biting down on the lower lip. With the right hand he holds the hilt of a long sword and with the left the scabbard. Attired in flowing scarves, the raiment of a warrior and boots, he stands surrounded by brown billowing smoke. Cowering at the lower right is a kumbhanda being with an ugly face and wearing a tiger skin skirt; holding three jewels in the upraised hands.

At the right is the King of the East and Lord of the Gandharva, Dhritarashtra, white in colour, peaceful in expression. With the right hand he strums a lute like instrument and with the left he supports the neck; attired in similar colourful garments and boots. Standing at the side is a gandharva musician also playing a lute.

The full group of arhats would traditionally comprise 25 figures: the buddha Shakyamuni, together with the two foremost disciples - Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, the 16 Arhats, the attendant Dharmata, the patron Hvashang and the Four Guardians of the Directions; Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dritarashtra and Virudhaka.

Jeff Watt 8-99

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附件

Arhat (Buddhist Elder) - (multiple figures)
(item no. 148)
Tibet

1800 - 1899

Gelug Lineage

96.52x69.22cm (38x27.25in)

Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton

Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

Four of the Sixteen Great Arhats: at the top left is Bhadra with the right hand raised, at the right Vajriputra holding a flywhisk in the left hand, lower left Kanaka Bharadvaja with the hands folded in the lap and at the right is Kanakavatsa with a jewel lasso. At the top right is Atisha with Dromton at the left side and a Gelugpa lama wearing a yellow pandita hat seated on the right.

肃火斤

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Arhat (Buddhist Elder) - (multiple figures)
(item no. 52)
Tibet

1700 - 1799

Uncertain Lineage

79.38x50.80cm (31.25x20in)

Ground Mineral Pigment, Fine Gold Line on Cotton

Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

Hvashang (Tibetan: chen tren drup thob hva chang, English: the Greatly Accomplished Supplicant, Hvashang), the Chinese Patron to the 16 Great Arhats, along with 2 of the 4 Direction Kings, Virupaksha and Virudhaka.

Older in appearance, healthy and rotund, with a receding hairline, he has a moustache and small goatee. The right hand holds to the heart a mala, string of prayer beads. The left held upraised offers a persimmon fruit. Adorned with gold earrings and wrapped with an upper cloak of red and blue brocade, he wears a lower garment of orange, seated in a relaxed posture atop a deerskin mat. The head is encircled by a pink areola, and a tree with a canopy of leaves and blossoms provides shelter above. Four small children fair in complexion, energetic and robust, play at the side. A fifth sleeps behind.

At the upper right on turbulent waters, a teacher is seated in a boat greeted by a crowd of monks. At the left, against a mountain landscape and cascading waterfall, above a pond, two Garuda birds swoop down towards two naga figures, (symbolizing environmental balance).

At the lower left side is Virupaksha, King of the West, dark red in colour with a moustache and goatee. He holds in the right hand a writhing snake and in the left held to the side a small white stupa. Adorned with a crown of gold studded with jewels, earrings and hair ribbons, he wears a rich brocade vest and various coloured garments, trousers and boots, all emblazoned with pictures and designs. In a standing posture against dark billowing clouds of blue and pink, he has a ring of orange flame surrounding the head.

At the right side is Virudhaka, King of the South, dark blue in colour. He holds a sword in the right hand clutched to the side and a pink jewel upraised in the left; adorned in similar ornaments and attire. In a standing posture he is surrounded by dark brown smoke with a ring of orange flame and a pink areola encircling the head. At the left side a white offering goddess holds upraised a bowl of wishing jewels. At the right side is a wrathful blue attendant holding a trident. Below, two wild animals recline in caves on the lower side of Mount Meru. (The names are written in fine gold lettering at the sides or below each).

Hvashang, meaning a 'Chinese monk,' was allegedly an historic figure dispatched to India by a Tang Emperor to invite the buddha Shakyamuni to visit China. Since the Buddha had already passed away the invitation was then relayed to the 16 great arhats. Regarded as a monk he is also referred to as a patron because he presented the invitation. Neither of the common liturgies to the meditation practice of Shakyamuni Buddha and the 16 Arhats, popularized by the Lord Atisha and Kashmiri pandit Shakya Sribhadra, make reference to Hvashang. Therefore it is likely that he is an iconographic concept imported from China at a later time.

Hvashang and the Direction Kings belong to a thematic set of paintings known as 'Shakyamuni Buddha and the 16 Great Arhats.' The full group comprises 25 figures: the buddha Shakyamuni, together with the two foremost disciples - Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, the 16 Arhats, the attendant Dharmata, the pat

肃火斤

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Arhat (Buddhist Elder) - (multiple figures)
(item no. 48)
Central Tibet

1800 - 1899

Uncertain Lineage

59.69x41.91cm (23.50x16.50in)

Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton

Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

Dharmata, the upasaka (Tibetan: gen nyen dhar ma ta), the layman attendant to the 16 Great Arhats, along with 2 of the 4 Direction Kings, Vaishravana and Virupaksha. (See blockprint image of the same composition).

Youthful and fair skinned, he has long dark hair with a book tied in the topknot. The right hand holds a flywhisk with a tuft of white yak tail hair. The right hand holds to the heart a golden vase filled with water. Adorned with gold earrings and long flowing garments of various colour, he sits in a Western style with the legs forward and the feet together atop a pink and red mat. Loosely tied to the back is a carrying case filled with books and a black begging bowl; extended above is an umbrella-like canopy. On guard at the side is a snarling tiger the constant companion of Dharmata. Seated in the sky in front on a swirl of white cloud is the buddha Amitabha, red, with the two hands placed in the mudra of meditation supporting a black begging bowl.

"To the noble upasaka Dharmata, with the hair in a topknot and a load of books, gazing forward on Amitabha in the sky; homage to the One holding a flywhisk and vase." (Sakya liturgical verse).

At the lower left is the leader of the Four Kings of the Directions, Vaishravana, King of the North. Orange in colour, with large round eyes, moustache and beard, he holds upraised in the right hand a victory banner and in the left a jewel spitting mongoose held at the waist. Adorned with a gold crown studded with jewels, earrings and the like, he wears a gold armoured vest and various coloured garments, trousers and boots. Seated in a relaxed manner with the right leg extended he is surrounded by dark billowing clouds and an areola of flame, orange in colour. In front, a small yaksha daemon in a knelling posture holds aloft in the two hands a branch of red coral as an offering.

At the right side is Virupaksha, King of the West, red in colour. He holds to the heart a small stupa and in the left entwined about the hand a blue-green snake. Adorned with similar ornaments and attire, he sits upon a leopard skin mat surrounded by dark swirling smoke and an areola of flame. Below, a beautiful naga girl, with the lower torso in the form of a green serpent, offers up with both hands a precious jewel.

Dharmata and the Direction Kings belong to a thematic set of paintings known as 'Shakyamuni Buddha and the 16 Great Arhats.' The full group comprises 25 figures: the buddha Shakyamuni, together with the two foremost disciples - Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, the 16 Arhats, the attendant Dharmata, the patron Hvashang and the Four Guardians of the Directions; Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dritarashtra and Virudhaka.

肃火斤

附件.

Arhat (Buddhist Elder)
(item no. 90314)
Tibet

1800 - 1899

Uncertain Lineage

Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton

Collection of Robert and Lois Baylis

Arhats: from the group of 16 Great Arhats the principal students of the Buddha Shakyamuni

At the top, from the left, is Vanavasin with an upraised index finger and holding a flywhisk, Kalika holding a pair of earrings, Vajriputra with an upraised index finger and holding a flywhisk, Kanaka Bharadvaja with the hands in meditation, Bhadra performing the mudra of explication and finally Kanakavatsa holding a jewel lasso.

At the bottom center is the patron Hvashang. At the left side is the Guardian King Virudhaka holding a sword and to the right is Dhritarashtra with a lute.

The Sixteen Great Arhats are generally painted as a set. The full group would include the Buddha Shakyamuni, the 16 arhats, the attendant Dharmatala, the patron Hvashang and the Four Guardians of the Directions - Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dritarashtra and Virudhaka. (See painting #90312 from the same set).

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