The Himalayan goddess Tseringma [Auspicious Lady of Long Life] and her four sisters represent the formidable spiritual power held in the towering peaks of that range.
In the eighth century, the Great Adept Padma Sambhava was said to have tamed them to the extent of demonstrating for them the supremacy of the Buddha Dharma, its teaching of wisdom and love holding the spiritual key to the evolutionary purpose of divine as well as human life.
By the eleventh century, the great yogi Milarepa was confronted by them once again, as they put him to the test of his principles to see whether he was motivated by wisdom and altruism or by selfish ambition.
When he finally responded to their aggressive attacks by offering his own body as a sacrifice to nourish them, they were persuaded of his authenticity and renewed their pledge to protect the Dharma and its practitioners.
In this beautiful black Thangka, the powerful Tseringma appears holding a vajra and the long-life vase and riding a blue-eyed lion with red and gold mane and tail.
She sweeps across clouds and mountains, a halo with spokes like an umbrella framing her upper body. Above appear Padma Sambhava, Milarepa in the center, and a dancing Vajrayogini.
Below are depicted her four sisters, each riding a different animal and holding their offerings to Milarepa. Clockwise from the lower left they are:
Original antique Painting:
Central Regions, Tibet or Eastern Tibet 17th cent., gouache on cotton 27 1/2 X 19 3/4 " [69.9 X 50.2 cm]
Musee Guimet, Paris; Gift of Mr. Lionel Fournier [under condition of usufruct] Lit.: Beguin, 1990, no. 75 Source: "Wisdom and compassion – The sacred art of Tibet from Marylin M. Rhie and Robert A. F. Thurman in association with Harry N. Abrahams, Inc., Publisher", Page 454
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Measurements: | 17.7 x 28.3" | 45 x 72 cm |
| Price: | on request |
| Shipment: | Parcel Service from Germany or Nepal |
| Color: | Black Backround Version |
| Material: | Natural Stone Colors |