Tsongkapa

This painting presents a biographical portrait of Tsongkapa (1357-1419). He is displaying the teaching gesture, flanked by two main disciples and seated cross-legged on a lion throne. His attributes, a sword and a book, are shown on lotuses above his shoulders indicating he is an emanation of Manjushri bodhisattva of wisdom. To the left and right are teachers of the two lineages who contributed to his development of the new tradition. The episodes of his life are shown in the outer registers. The narrative begins clockwise from the lower-left corner with his birth, taking lay vows from the head of the Karma Kagyu tradition, studying with his first master, scenes of his studies with teachers of different traditions at various places, practicing, having visions of deities, and teaching extensively and the founding of his new tradition’s seat, Ganden Monastery.