Avalokitesvara - the compassionate Bodhisattva

Avalokiteshvara is the earthly manifestation of the self-born eternal Buddha Amitabha and he guards the world in the interval between the exit of the historical Buddha, Gautama, and the appearance of the future buddha, Maitreya. He is a  compassionate Bodhisattva.

Let's journey through his thangka!

The depiction is of the eleven-headed Avalokitesvara arranged in five series, in a pyramidal sequence. As per legend, Avalokiteswara split into 10 pieces from despair seeing wickedness in the world, Amitabha caused each piece to become a head; with his image above all.

The heads looking forward have a benevolent expression. The left ones are expressing anger at the follies of humans and the right ones are smiling at good deeds.

This image is that of Shakyamuni Buddha,  who is in the bhoomisparsha mudra.  This gesture is also known as 'touching the Earth' which is symbolic of the moment of the Buddha's awakening as he claims the earth as the witness of his enlightenment.

Green Tara is one of the most beloved figures in Tibetan Buddhism. As a bodhisattva, she helps people pass beyond the troubles of earthly existence and move toward enlightenment.

This is the Buddhist deity Mahakala. He is a protector. He is multi-armed with weapons and has skulls in his diadem and is surrounded by flames. His foot is trampling a demon.

Tibetan Buddhist deity Dorje Legpa in the incarnation of Dumchen Garwai Nakpo, riding side saddle on a goat, the deity has five human skulls in his diadem.He carries a long hammer and bellows. He was one of the protectors of Buddhist teachings. His name means oathbound benign thunderbolt.