17
Oct
2022
19th century Painting of Namkhai Nyingpo
Namkha’i Nyingpo one of the twenty-five disciples of Padmasambhava, is depicted with long-life ritual implements. Other details of this nineteenth-century painting from Kham suggest elements from Jamgon Kongtrul’s story of Namkhai Nyingpo and Dorje Tso.
Namkhai Nyingpo is performing a long-life ritual in this Thangka Painting. He holds upraised in the right hand an arrow of longevity and a vajra scepter. In the left hand, a bell is held close to the heart.
In the sky above, at the top center, are five teachers standing with the right hands each holding an arrow of longevity. Of these, at the far left is Garab Dorje. In front of each of the five figures stands a female consort making an offering.
At the top left is a collection of Long-life deities with a seated male figure, red in color, embracing a female consort at the center of sixteen accompanying figures. Each holds in the right hand a long-life arrow.
An inscription reads
” I bow to the host of immortal long-life deities.”
At the lower left is the standing female figure of Kandro Shel Kar (Dakini White Crystal). At the lower right is the protector deity with a wrathful upper body and the lower body of a serpent riding a light brown horse, Genyen Nyonka.
