Handpainted Thangka of Vajrakilaya
The Thangka portrays Yidam Vajrakilaya, who is the Buddha Vajrasattva's wrathful form. His characteristic iconographic feature is that he wields the phurba or kla dagger. Vajrakilaya is typically depicted as a crown of skulls with three faces of various hues. The middle face is blue, while the left and right fronts are red and white. He also has six arms, two of which wield the phurba, two of which each hold one vajra, one of which has a blazing snare, and one of which contains a trident. He smashes demons that symbolize the impediments to spiritual development under his feet.
DRAWN AS MENTIONED IN THE MEDITATION MANUAL
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Size: 10"/25cm (Width) x 13"/33cm (Height)
Materials: Cotton Canvas, Stone Colors, 24K Gold
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Note: Vajrakilaya Thangka is an original painting from Enlightenment Studio located at Boudha Stupa.
When the Buddha settled under the Bodhi Tree, determined not to rise until he had attained awakening, no sooner had Guru Padmasambhava settled down to practice with his consort than powerful demons beset them. These forces plunged the whole country into famine, plague, and chaos. These forces stopped the rains for three years so that famine, disease, and suffering spread like wildfire throughout India, Nepal, and Tibet, killing humans and livestock alike. These were desperate times for the region and indeed is often said that the more profound the practice, the more menacing the obstacles.