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The Buddhist deity Ushnisha-chakravartin

1700-1800

Asian Art Museum

Asian Art Museum
San Francisco, United States

Ushnisha-Chakravartin, one of the Protectors of the Ten Directions, dominates this painting with his powerful presence. He holds his partner to him in a sexual embrace, symbolizing the union of compassion and wisdom, which is said to lead to enlightenment. These deities are each shown with three heads and six arms, and they each hold the same kinds of objects in their hands-a chopper and skull bowl, a wheel, a sword, a gem, and a lotus. In the landscape painted below them, the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha presents an offering of dough to Ushnisha-Chakravartin, and the Hindu god Indra sits on his elephant and brandishes a thunderbolt.
The offering of the five senses (eyes for sight, ears for sound, nose for smell, tongue for taste, and heart for touch) to the wrathful deities is shown at bottom center. This offering represents the painting donor's gesture of sensual renunciation as well as his efforts to please Ushnisha-Chakravartin. At bottom left a tiger and a vulture devour a corpse in a cremation ground, a yogi meditates, and a snake goddess pays homage to a stupa (a sacred monument).

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  • Title: The Buddhist deity Ushnisha-chakravartin
  • Date Created: 1700-1800
  • Location Created: Tibet
  • Physical Dimensions: H. 35 in x W. 22 1/8 in, H. 88.9 cm x W. 56.2 cm (image); H. 63 1/2 in x W. 36 in, H. 162.6 cm x W. 91.4 cm (overall)
  • Rights: Public Domain
  • Medium: Colors on cotton
  • Credit Line: Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D34
Asian Art Museum

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