The Fifth Dalai Lama’s Descent from the Pure Lands

This painting presents episodes from his the life in small narrative vignettes nestled within the landscape and placed around the large central figure of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngagwang Lobzang Gyatso, 1617-1682. The narrative moves counter-clockwise, beginning in the upper-left corner with the Dalai Lama’s descent onto earth from the heavenly realm of the compassionate Avalokiteshvara. Along the bottom he visits different monasteries and begins construction of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. After visiting Beijing (center right), the Dalai Lama passed away in Lhasa, returning to the heaven realms before taking his next rebirth (top right).