Episodes in the life of Prince Dri-med-kun-Idan. Distemper painting by a Tibetan painter.

Reference:
47085i
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Description

Episodes in the life of Prince Dri-med-kun-Idan, also known in Tibetan as Thams-cad-sgrol (Saviour of all, literally "Liberating all"), in Sanskrit as Viśvantara, in Pali as Vessantara), prince of charity, who gave away his father's wish-fulfilling gem, his own wife and children and his own eyes (cf. Winder, loc. cit., no. 15; Wellcome Library catalogue no. 47067i). At his birth, soothsayers are shown prophesying these things. In the centre is a Medicine Buddha (Bhaiṣajyaguru) painted in the Mongolian style. He is another form of personified compassion. With his right hand he performs the earth-touching gesture and with his left hand the meditation gesture. His left hand is also holding a bowl containing a bezoar, a concretion from the stomach of a cow, which is used for medicinal purposes. Around are episodes in the life of Viśvantara as described in the Pali Jātakamala (Garland of previous births [of the Buddha])

Publication/Creation

[Tibet]

Physical description

1 painting : distemper on linen ; distemper 75 x 55 cm

Lettering

Inscription on reverse in garbled Sanskrit transliterated into Tibetan: Om su pra ti stha ba dzra ye sva ha/ta dya tha/om mu ne mune ma ha mu ne ye sva ha ("Om vajra, firm support, be saluted! True Saviour, Om O sage O sage O great sage!")

References note

Marianne Winder, Catalogue of Tibetan manuscripts and xylographs, and catalogue of thankas, banners and other paintings and drawings in the Library of the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, London 1989, p. 85, thankas banners and paintings no. 20

Reference

Wellcome Collection 47085i

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