About Drogön Chögyal Phagpa

Drogön Chogyal Phagpa, was the fifth leader of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was also the first Imperial Preceptor of Kublai Khan's Yuan dynasty, division of the Mongol Empire, and was concurrently named the director of the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs. Historical tradition remembers him as the first vice-ruler of Tibet under the Mongol Khagan as well as one of the Five Sakya patriarchs. Although this is historically disputed, he played a very important political role.

Depicting 5 Forms of Manjushri Thangka

Aug

2019

Art, Deities, Himalayan Art, Manjushri sadiksha

Wutaishan Mountain in China is considered special for the Buddhist deity/bodhisattva Manjushri. According to oral history and Chinese literature, it was Drogön Chögyal Phagpa who first talked about the five different forms of Manjushri. 5 forms of Manjushree are represented on each of the five peaks: central and four directions. The Five Manjushri forms are not depicted in a consistent manner. There are many iconographic differences appearing between the various paintings be they central figures or .

Insights into traditional practices within the Kadampa Kagyu lineage