Buddhist Protector

肃火斤

附件01.

Red Tsen: an indigenous Tibetan protector deity.

Tibet 1800 - 1899 Nyingma and Buddhist Lineages Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

肃火斤

附件02.

Eastern Tibet 1700 - 1799 Nyingma Lineage Collection of Rubin Museum of Art


Cha Khyung (Bird-Horned Eagle): an indigenous mountain deity of the Amdo region, in the retinue of Amnye Machen, subjugated by Padmasambhava, the mountain deity of the west side of the river in Rebkong, Amdo, China.

Peaceful in appearance with one face and two hands the right holds aloft a banner adorned with silks and jewels. The left hand held at the waist carries a vase filled with precious jewels; riding atop a light brown horse. Above sits Padmasambhava with a rain of jewels falling from the vase in the lap. Attendant warrior figures ride below with heaps of treasure piled between the two.

肃火斤

附件03.

Mongolia 1800 - 1899 Nyingma Lineage Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

The Five Pehar Gyalpos (Kings) of the Terma (Treasure) Lineage.

The central figure is the wrathful Activity King Pehar, white in colour, with three faces and six hands. His right face is red and the left blue. Each face has three eyes and he wears a round gold hat. The first pair of hands hold a sword and stick, the second a bow and arrow and the third a vajra hook and knife. A white silk cape adorns the upper body while the main torso and lower body is attired in a dark blue garment and red boots. Led by a wrathful blue Yakshi, with one face and two hands, he rides upon a white snow lion with a green mane, with another blue Yakshi following behind, above a sun disc and multi-coloured lotus blossom within the orange flames of pristine awareness.

At the top center is Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava, seated, with one face and two hands holding in the right a vajra to the heart and a skullcup supported in the lap with the left hand. A katvanga staff rests against the left shoulder. He is richly attired in various robes and wears a lotus hat, seated on a pink lotus above a dragon on a pink cloud.

At the top left is the King of Qualities 'Shing Cha Chen,' in a natural colour with one face and two hands holding a hook and lasso, wearing garments similar to the central figure, riding a zombie above a sun disc and lotus seat. At the right is the King of Speech 'Dra Lha Kye Chigbu,' red in colour, holding a stick of cane and a stick of sandalwood; riding a black mule above a sun disc and lotus.

At the bottom right is the King of Mind 'Gya Jin,' blue in colour, with one face and two hands holding a knife and lasso; riding a white elephant above a sun disc and lotus. At the left is the King of Body 'Monbu Putra,' blue in colour, with one face and two hands holding a vajra and lasso attached to two monkeys. At the bottom center is a form of Srog Dag, dressed as a warrior and seated on a bench.

"In former times at Glorious Red Rock, Acarya Padmasambhava, inviting the profound vast protector, Had bound by an oath as the entrusted steward of all Dharma Centres; To Pehar I bow." (Nyingma liturgical verse).

Pehar is a non-Tibetan protector who was invited by Guru Rinpoche and bound by an oath to protect all the Buddhist centres in Tibet. This set of five Pehar figures belongs to the Nyingma Terma Tradition and was later incorporated into the Gelugpa School by the 5th Dalai Lama.

肃火斤

附件04.

肃火斤

附件05.

肃火斤

附件06.

肃火斤

附件07.

肃火斤

附件07图

肃火斤

附件08.

肃火斤

附件08图

肃火斤

附件09.

肃火斤

附件10.

Eastern Tibet 1700 - 1799 Nyingma Lineage Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

Maha Deva (Tibetan: lha chen po, English: Great God): also known as Shiva - emanation of Avalokiteshvara.

"...Great God, Ishvara, with a body red in colour, like ruby, blazing with light. Having one face, two hands and three eyes, charming and passionate in appearance. In the right [hand] holding aloft a hook to gather the Three Realms and the left a lasso of wind. The hair is bound in a tuft decorated with a crescent moon. Adorned with silks and jewels, naked with a red linga, engorged and erect. The right leg is bent and the left extended in a standing posture. Embraced by the consort, Uma Devi, bright red, beautiful and affectionate. The right [hand] holds a conch shell vessel to the Father and the left a hook; adorned with jewels..." (Min-ling Lochen Dharmashri, 1654-1718. Tibetan source text part II, pp.364-365).

Bright red in colour with one face and two hands he is slightly fierce with three eyes and partially exposed canine teeth. The right hand holds upraised a hook, ornate and red, in the shape of an elephant goad decorated with jewels. The left holds outstretched an engorged red phallus and gold lasso. Adorned with a crown of gold and jewels, earrings and necklace he wears an orange and yellow scarf and a long garland of red flowers. The consort in similar appearance holds up a gold vase in the right hand and a mirror in the left, the shoulders covered with a blue scarf. Standing above a sun and moon disc atop a red lotus blossom they are surrounded by the subdued orange flames of pristine awareness. Arranged in front are rows of variously coloured wishing jewels, precious objects and bolts of cloth presented as an auspicious offering.

Above, wreathed in the flames of pristine awareness, atop a red lotus blossom is the powerful Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava, red in colour, holding aloft in the right hand a black vajra sceptre. The left holds to the side a three pointed katvanga staff. Adorned with the lotus hat, earrings, necklace and a garland of heads he wears the robes of the Three Vehicles standing atop a corpse and sun disc.

"To the discerning pristine awareness body of all conquerors, emanation body of compassion of the powerful Avalokiteshvara, benevolent Lord of the World; Mahadeva together with consort, Uma, I pay homage." (Nyingma liturgical verse).

The practice of Mahadeva is a Revealed Treasure teaching (Tib.: Terma) unique to the Nyingmapa School.

肃火斤

附件11.

肃火斤

附件12.

肃火斤

附件13.

Dralha, Thirteen Enemy Gods.

Himalayan Region 1800 - 1899 Collection of Rubin Museum of Art