Life of Buddha Ritual Painting Thangka

Description

Life of Buddha Ritual Painting depicts the life of Buddha emphasizes the Twelve Great Deeds of Existence, which are regarded as the most important occurrences in Siddhartha’s life.

The painting starts at the top and moves in a counter-clockwise fashion. It begins at the upper left corner and eventually ends up in the center, where the main figure reaches a state of enlightenment.

Gautama Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama or simply Buddha, was born in 563 BCE. He is the central figure in Buddhism and is seen by Buddhists as a wise teacher who reached full enlightenment and shared his knowledge to aid living beings in overcoming rebirth and suffering.

It is thought by Buddhists that the stories of his life, conversations, and monastic regulations were condensed after his passing and remembered by his disciples. Different collections of teachings credited to him were transmitted orally and then written down around 400 years later.

This Life of Buddha Thangka explains the 12 deeds of Lord Buddha. To understand clearly, the deeds can be divided into three important phases:

1. His descent into the world, his birth, and his young years as a Prince
2. The recognition of human suffering and the quest for a way to alleviate human suffering
3. The fulfillment of his search and his determination to spend the rest of his life teaching people how to achieve enlightenment for oneself.

12 Deeds of Buddha

1. Transferring to a Southern Island-Continent from a Pure Land of Joy, after having transferred his throne there to the next – Maitreya Buddha
2. Entering his mother’s womb
3. Taking birth
4. Becoming skilled and learned in the arts
5. Enjoying himself with his wife and her circle
6. Setting forth from family life as a renunciate
7. Undergoing difficult ascetic practices
8. Proceeding to a seat for enlightenment under a bodhi tree
9. Taming the demonic forces
10. Manifesting full enlightenment
11. Setting flow rounds of transmission of the preventive measures of the Dharma (turning the wheel of the Dharma)
12. Demonstrating a total release from all suffering by passing away