Dharmapala Thangka CentreSchool of Thangka Painting

Iconographically, Machig Labdrön is often depicted with the attributes of a dakini, a representation of enlightened female energy. She holds a drum [Skt. damaru] in her right hand and a bell in her left. Her right leg is often lifted and the standing left leg is bent in motion. Machig is white in color with three eyes and wears the Six Bone Ornaments of the charnel grounds, which is traditional for a practicing yogini. Dakinis wear five bone ornaments; they are themselves the wisdom paramita.

This thangka depicts Machig Labdron founder of the Cho Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism is surrounded by the teachers and deities of the 'Field of the Accumulation of Merit'.

White in colour with one face, three eyes and two hands she is beautiful, youthful and appears in the form of a wisdom dakini. Adorned with a tiara of five skulls, gold earrings, necklace, bracelets, she holds upraised in the right hand a double-sided damaru [hand drum]. In the left hand held at the hip is a bell [Ghanta]. She stands in a dancing posture above a moon disc and lotus blossom surrounded by a blue and gold nimbus and red areola. Immediately above is Khashrapani [2 arms Avalokiteshwara]. Seated at the right and left of Machig Labdron are her two sons - the main lineage holders of the Cho tradition.

Above forming a canopy, at the top center is samantabhadra surrounded by 14 bodhisattvas. Below is the original great mother Prajnaparamita, white in colour with one face and four hands. The first two are placed in the mudra of meditation. The upper right holds a gold vajra and the left a book. Below are 'the buddhas of the three times surrounded by shravakas and pratyeka buddhas.' The buddha Shakyamuni is in the center with the buddha of the previous age on the left and the future buddha on the right.

At the upper left and right side two sets of five goddesses present offerings. They are the Tswopey Lamas [Angels].

On a bank of clouds at the left side are the main gurus, maha siddhas and lineage teachers of Cho. These are the important teachers from various lineages that practiced Cho, be it the oral tradition or the various Nyingma 'Treasure' traditions that arose later. At the center is the Padampa Sanggye, brown in colour, holding a damaru and shinbone horn [Kangling]. Above is Padmasambhava and above that Vajradhara, blue in colour. Padam sangya in the center is surrounded by all the spiritual maha siddhas and guru [Lineage teachers] of cho.

On the cloud bank at the right side is the group of tutelary deities and Dakini section. In the center is Khrodakali [Thoma Nagpo], blue, with one face and two hands holding a curved knife and skullcup, standing in a dancing posture. Above is the vajradhara blue holding a vajra and bell embracing the consort. Surrounding Khrodakali [Thoma Nagpo] are all dakinis they are the 'Five Attractive Ones,' 'Five Dakinis,' 'Five Messengers' and the 'Five Wrathful Ones.' In a variety of colours, peaceful and wrathful, each has one face and two hands.

Below the central Machig is a horizontal row of 'Ten Dakinis' and below that a row of 'Eleven tantric masters'. The bottom row comprises the protectors of the Cho Tradition i.e. 'the dharmapals'.

Outside of the elaborate throne structure [horizontally from left to right] stand the Four Guardian Kings of the Directions: Virudhaka, Dhritarashtra, Virupaksha and Vaishravana.

At the bottom left corner is the protector Rahula, maroon, with nine faces and four hands standing above a triangular enclosure. And next to rahula at the right is blue Tseringma, with one face and two hands with a tirisul [trident] in the right hand, riding a horse.

At the bottom right corner is Pagargyalpo [Dharmapal] blue, with one face and two hands riding a white horse. Again to the right is the standing Avalokiteshvara, white in colour and the hands folded in the gesture of prayer.

At the bottom center three skullcaps with offerings of the five senses. The tradition of Cho is practiced to a greater or lesser degree by all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Ikonographisch wird Machig Labdrön oft mit den Attributen einer Dakini, einer Darstellung erleuchteter weiblicher Energie, dargestellt. Sie hält eine Trommel [Skt. Damaru] in der rechten Hand und eine Glocke in der linken Hand. Ihr rechtes Bein ist meist angehoben. Machig ist weiß mit drei Augen und trägt die Sechs-Knochen-Ornamente, die traditionell von einer praktizierenden Yogini verwendet werden. Dakinis tragen fünf Knochenornamente.

Additional Explanation