Thangka Padmasambhava, Urgyen Dorje Chang

Guru Padmasambhava is the master of wisdom and skillful means who was so important in bringing the Vajrayana tradition to Tibet in the past. He founded a living tradition which is still thriving today. Known as the Lotus-Born Lord and the Precious Guru, he was and is very well known for his yogic powers which enabled him to tame all kinds of hostile beings. In the eighth century, in turbulent Tibet, he was invited by the king of Tibet, Trisong Detsen. Since the Buddhist abbot Shantarakshita encountered too many obstacles in building the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, Samye. Padmasambhava propagated the swift path of the adamantine vehicle for lay yogis and monks to overcome the inner obstacles of afflictive emotions and delusion and the outer obstacles of disharmony and demonic antagonism.

Padma, seeking to find a doctrine which would be easily explained and immediately efficacious, travels to the highest heaven. There Vajrasattva reveals to him all sounds as mantra, all appearance as enchantment.. He here receives the ame Urgyan Dorje Chang, Holder of the Vajra from Urgyan.
The teachings of Guru Padmasambhava have been held purely and precisely in lineages of oral transmission, revealed treasures the terma tradition, and pure visions. Thus they remain as vital to practitioners of today as they were twelve hundred years ago. Collectively these lineages form the Nyingma-,or old school of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.

The thangka is A3 painted with red pigment ink on golden gouache.