Dharmapala Thangka CentreTibetan Antiques


Nagarjuna Tsa Tsa

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This very finely crafted tsa tsa shows seven images of Nagarjuna. The depiction of the great Nagarjuna [Tibetan: mGon-po Klu-grub, དཔལ་དགོན་ཀླུ་སྒྲུབ་] in the centre deviates from the usual iconography. Normally, the snakes rise only behind his head. Here, two on each side snake up from his hips and together with the other three form a protective »naga crown«. All Nagarjuna Buddhas are seated on single-storey lotus thrones.

Nagarjuna's name is derived from »naga« [= snake] and Arjuna, a type of tree. According to tradition, Nagarjuna was born under a tree and was taught the occult sciences by the Nagas in their palace under the sea. There he is said to have discovered the writings of the Buddha in caves.

Nagarjuna was born in southern India around the second century AD, the son of a wealthy Brahmin. He became a Buddhist monk and a great philosopher. His most important authentic work is the »Memorial Verses on the Middle Teaching« [Mula Madhyamaka Karika]. It contains the essence of his thought in 27 short chapters [400 verses]. Nagarjuna is also considered the author of the »20 Songs on Mahayana« [Mahayana Vimshaka] and the »Treatise of the Twelve Gates« [Dvadashadvara Shastra].


PropertyValue
Measurements: 3.5 x 3.4 x 0.4" | 8.8 x 8.6 x 1.0 cm
Price: 129 $ | 125 €
Shipment: Parcel Service from Germany
Material: Burned Clay
Age: 20th cent.
High resolution: Display [0.7 MB, 1500 x 1500 px.]
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