Thangka Manjushree

Description

Thangka Manjushree
Hand-painted on canvas
Size: approx. 106 x 78 cm
Inside picture size: approx. 48 x 34.5 cm

Manjushree
Majushree, God of Divine Wisdom, worship of which confers mastery of Dharma memorization. However, mental perfection and eloquence are prerequisites for this. Manjushree is also a form of Bodhisatwa and he symbolizes wisdom. In Nepal, he is considered the founder of Nepalese civilization and the creator of the Kathmandu Valley. According to tradition, he was a Chinese saint. His intuition told him about the blue flame (symbolizing Adibuddha or Swayambhu) on a lotus in the great lake of Nepal. He went there to offer worship but could not reach the water because of it. He cut the south face of the hills with his sword, causing the waters of a lake to flow south. This turned the dry valley into the fertile Kathmandu valley. He carries the Sword of Wisdom and Light in his right hand and the Prajnaparmita manuscipt the “Book of Divine Wisdom” in his left on the lotus flower. His left hand is shown in a teaching gesture (Jnan Mudra.). He is also called Manjunghose, Manju Bara, Vajranga and Vagiswara. People believe that worshiping Manjushre will bestow them with wisdom, memory, intelligence, etc.

Thanka
A (Buddhist) thangka, loosely translated “something rollable”, or something “to roll”, is one painted with opaque colors Cotton or silk fabric, often with elaborate bindings and sub-weaves. As a rule, wooden struts are processed at the upper and lower edge, often with decorative buttons and two long ribbons. Thangkas are used for Buddhist meditation. At home, when parading, but also in temples and processions. Deities, lamas, buddhas and bodhisattvas are usually depicted, also the wheel of life or other symbols of Buddhism

Additional information