Medicine Buddha: The Role of Thangka Art in Tibetan Buddhism

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Validation of the Importance of Researching Thangka Art
Painting Overview
The Production of the Painting in the Traditions of Thangka
Cultural Heritage Embodied in Thangka through the Perspective of Medicine Buddha
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Art is an important part of human life since it depicts people’s beliefs, values, culture, and history. Importantly, art in general, and paintings, in particular, are aimed at representing human worldview, their religious and philosophical perception of life, and its meaning. In the Buddhist tradition, the art of Thangka plays a central role in depicting the divine and the natural based on the cultural vision of Tibetan Buddhists. The uniqueness of Thangka implied in its materials, production process, and encoded meanings allow painters to transfer philosophical messages. In particular, this paper aims to analyze the tole of Thangka art in Tibetan Buddhism through the example of a painting entitled Medicine Buddha or Bhaishajyaguru as it is called in Sanskrit. The image of Medicine Buddha in the painting represents his inherent central place in the pantheon of Buddhism as a healer of disease and an ultimate spiritual leader capable of instilling life and health. In such a manner, this essay will address the painting’s visual representation particularities, its production based on Thangka traditions, and the cultural heritage it bears.

Validation of the Importance of Researching Thangka Art

One might wonder why it is worth paying attention to such ancient art as Thangka in modern times. Indeed, its cultural relevance might be limited to religious and historical contexts. Therefore, one might be confused as to the reasons for researching it in the context of contemporary culture. To explain the rationale for investigating the precondition for creating Thangka, its production, and its importance, one should refer to the term conservation.

This practice involves documentation, research, and protection of the pieces of artistic work having cultural value for the sake of preserving historically important objects. In particular, it involves “natural sciences, technical sciences, engineering, philosophy, the humanities and social sciences with surveys, identification, assessment, documentation, exhibition, research, provenance, preservation and restoration of material substances, as well as environmental monitoring (Zhu & Eckfeld, 2016, p. 27). Since Thangka is a unique style and ancient craftmanship that embodies a complex system of symbolism embedded in colors, materials, and content, it is evident that it has a significant cultural and historical value for Tibet and Buddhism in general. It is through harnessing such works of art as the Medicine Buddha that contemporaries can preserve and popularize the richness of the ancient philosophy (Zhu & Eckfeld, 2016). For that matter, the research, documentation, and promotion of Thangka might help in instilling the cultural heritage of Tibetan Buddhism and encourage the popularity of this genre in the general public for interdisciplinary interpretation.

Painting Overview

The paifor interdisciplinary interpretation in the general publicnting that exemplifies the art of Thangka in this essay is demonstrated in Figure 1, presented below. At the center of the canvas is the figure of Buddha, illustrated with golden glowing skin on a blue background with meticulously painted patterns and figures. The light yellow or golden color of the skin implies the meaning of Buddha’s illuminating light that is devoted to a life-assuring healing power (Slocumb, 2018). The deep-blue color of the surface around Buddha is called “Vaidurya-pravhasa (Lapis Lazuli Paradise), after the semi-precious stone that is also thought by many to possess healing qualities” (McArthur, 2020, para. 4). Around the central figure of Buddha, there are twelve human figures representing twelve months of the year (McArthur, 2020). The details and imagery of the artwork impress viewers with meticulous coloristic impact.

Figure 1. The Medicine Buddha, Tibet, 19th century

The painting’s author is not indicated; however, it is known that it was created in Tibet in the 19^th century. The painting was produced as a “distemper and gold on sized cotton” in the traditions of Thangka; it is presented at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (McArthur, 2020, para. 5). Overall, the image illustrates the unity of floral nature, natural forces, and the centrality of Medicine Buddha in the universe. Such a structural representation embodies the ultimate power of this Buddha in the pantheon of Buddhas in Buddhism (McArthur, 2020). Thus, to better understand the meaning and cultural heritage of this painting in particular, and Thangka art in general, it is essential to identify the most important aspect of the production of such paintings.

The Production of the Painting in the Traditions of Thangka

Artistic activities have been highly appreciated and celebrated by the Tibetan Buddhist traditionhas due to the spirituality of not only the resulting work but also the process of its creation. Masters of Thangka and researchers of this art emphasize that the production of a Thangka painting is a laborious, long, and complicated process that involves deliberation and engagement of an artist. Importantly, masters of Thangka state that to create this work of art, one should not only be knowledgeable about the painting principles but also be an expert in Buddhist philosophy and culture (Slocumb, 2018). The very cultivation of the art through its deliberate step-by-step creation embodies the larger philosophical meaning of the process for an artist, as well as the audience.

At the initial stage, the process of creating a Thangka involves a selection of cloth for canvas. A piece of natural fabric is selected, cut to the desired size of a rectangle, and sewed along the edges to prevent splitting the threads (Slocumb, 2018). After the fabric is prepared, it is tied to the frame using a thick thread that makes it tight and firmly stretched evenly along the edges. Once the canvas is secured in the frame, the surface should be treated with a special material that has gluing characteristics. It is important to smooth the fabric with the help of a stone that allows for spreading the glue across the surface of the canvas evenly (Slocumb, 2018). After the preparation process has been completed, the canvas should dry, after which it is ready for painting.

The process of applying paint and other materials when creating images on the canvas for Thangka has a sacred and philosophical meaning. According to Zhu et al. (2022) “the thangka was painted on a hemp substrate, with common colorants such as cinnabar, orpiment, gold, azurite, and malachite, and porcine glue as binding material” (p. 1). Being a unique work of art that combines a range of materials and colorants, this craft has a significant historical value relevant to the conservation needs of contemporary China (Bhaumik & Govil, 2020). Thus, the approach to structuring and coloring the images in work had a strong philosophical basis originating from Tibetan Buddhism.

The choice of colors for a Thangka painting is motivated by the religious and philosophical meanings encoded in this craft. Indeed, as a mythological story conveying the beginning of Thangka demonstrates, when monks were sent to paint Buddha, they could not bear his bright gold-like light going from his face and body (Slocumb, 2018). Therefore, they had to look at his reflection in the river to be able to capture his image in the paintings, later known as Thangka. This story of the first Thangka creation is the “origination of the Buddhist idea that thangkas also house the spiritual force of deities” (Slocumb, 2018, p. 3). Indeed, “since the painters were blinded by the Buddha’s spiritual light and then had to paint his reflection, they also captured some of his spiritual reflection in doing so” (Slocumb, 2018, p. 3). Thus, the representation of Buddha in golden and yellow colors represents his light and healing power, which is essential for helping people overcome their existential suffering.

The dominance of a deep-blue color also has a spiritual Buddhist meaning. In the Medicine Buddha, the blue color dominates in the background; however, it is commonly observed in the Thangka tradition that Buddha is depicted in blue. According to McArthur (2020), the blue color is thought to have strong healing powers and is a sacred color for Buddhism. Moreover, not only does the coloristic of the painting imply the role of the Medicine Buddha as the most important deity in the Buddhist pantheon, but also his posture and positioning demonstrate an encoded philosophical and spiritual meaning. Indeed, “like most buddhas, he is usually depicted seated on a lotus throne and surrounded by halos, suggesting his advanced spiritual power” (McArthur, 2020, para. 3). In general, when setting the painting into the artistic context of Thangka and Buddhism in Tibet, one might identify the power of positioning in a lotus pose as a healing power in statues and other forms of art depicting Buddha.

Cultural Heritage Embodied in Thangka through the Perspective of Medicine Buddha

As implied in the discussion of Thangka production, the attention to detail and the encoded deeper spiritual meanings behind the choice of materials and imagery contribute to the historical and cultural heritage of this craft. The multifaceted purposes of using this art, in general, reveal the complexity of Buddhism as a spiritual and philosophical doctrine. Indeed, researchers differentiate between the four main goals of engaging in the art of Thangka. Firstly, these paintings act “as a method for gaining merit, which is what accrues good karma” (Slocumb, 2018, p. 5). Since karma is an essential concept for Tibetan Buddhism, such a manifestation allows for cultivating larger cultural and spiritual ideas that expand beyond the localized implications of this art.

Secondly, Thangka paintings are commonly used as an attribute of burial rituals. Indeed, they are believed to “aid the dead during transmigration” when karma influences the reincarnation outcomes (Slocumb, 2018, p. 5). Thirdly, Thangka is commonly used as a single-point object for meditation. Since meditation is a valuable spiritual practice essential for Buddhism, the role of Thangka in such an activity validates its value. Indeed, when meditating, Buddhists can look at the image and facilitate an inner state of calm and focus (Slocumb, 2018). Finally, these paintings are commonly used as a tool for teaching by Dubbhist monks. On the one hand, they were popular among monks who educated illiterate youth, and on the other hand, the imagery of Thangkas allows for representing complex ideas and messages in a visually appealing and comprehensive form (Bhaumik & Govil, 2020). Thus, the multitude of purposes for which Thangka has been created and the in-depth meaning of this art to both the creators and the viewers makes this craft a sacred one.

Another important existential meaning encoded in Buddhistic paintings using the Thangka technique is cyclic existence. Indeed, the cultural heritage of Buddhist iconography entails multiple manifestations of reincarnation as the repetition of different forms of existence, as well as the indication of human suffering as an immediate life characteristic (Bhaumik & Govil, 2020). Cyclic existence marked with inevitable suffering is represented in the analyzed painting, the Medicine Buddha, where Buddha is depicted in the center of the circle surrounded by figures representing twelve months. Such positioning is typical for Thangka since Buddha guides his followers and heals them throughout their existence in a world filled with suffering (Slocumb, 2018). Since illness and overall health impairments are considered the manifestations of earthly existence and suffering, the centrality of Medicine Buddha to Tibetan Buddhism is essential. Therefore, the essential role of Thangka is not limited to its illustration of the most valued Buddha of the whole pantheon but expands to a far larger context of historical, spiritual, and philosophical implications of Buddhism in Tibet.

Moreover, the personified emotions in Buddha’s imagery have an inherent spiritual and philosophical meaning within the context of Tibetan Buddhism. Indeed, researchers note that Buddha’s images in Buddhistic art are never labeled with the depiction of his emotions, such as angry or happy Buddha (Ma et al., 2021). The emotional appeal is never explicit, which is rooted in the Buddhist tradition of depicting Buddha in two states, either angry or silent. According to Ma et al. (2021), “from the perspective of Buddha’s expression, we need to distinguish whether the Buddha is silent or angry for the purpose of cultural connotation displaying” (p. 4). Therefore, when seeking the deeper meaning of Thangka paintings, it is essential to decoding the emotion of Buddha since it embodies a particular message.

Commonly, the posture and the background help the viewers decode the emotion of Buddha in a painting. Indeed “a “silent” Buddha is sitting on a lotus terrace, while an “angry” Buddha keeps standing posture, and the color and flame behind them are not the same” (Ma et al., 2021, p. 4). As for the implications of whether a silent or an angry Buddha allow for denoting a deeper cultural meaning. Namely, the silent Buddha represents positive implications aimed at inspiring people, healing them, and encouraging their life (Ma et al., 2021). On the contrary, angry Buddha shows “negative meanings that help people cut off evil and defeat fear” (Ma et al., 2021, p. 4). Thus, within the context of a multilayered meaning of Thangka craft, the paintings are aimed not only at capturing the image of a deity but also at instilling solid philosophical and spiritual ideas in the followers of Buddhism.

Conclusion

In summation, this essay has analyzed the essence and cultural value of Thangka through the example of the Medicine Buddha painting. It has been revealed that the process of creating a Thangka painting involves several deliberately mastered stages of canvas preparation and material selection based on the spiritual meanings of colors and shapes. Furthermore, the representation of Buddha in different poses, whether standing or sitting in lotus pose, as well as the circular depiction of halos and supporting figures, allows for conveying the importance of karma and the cyclic suffering existence of humans. Thus, given the deep meaning of Thangka paintings and their essential role in conveying the ideas of Tibetan Buddhism, it is vital to preserve and popularize them in the contemporary world.

References

Bhaumik, G., & Govil, M. C. (2020). Conserving Thangka− A technical approach unto the preservation of Buddhist Thangka through automation. Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, 18, 1-10.

Ma, Y., Liu, Y., Xie, Q., Xiong, S., Bai, L., & Hu, A. (2021). A Tibetan Thangka data set and relative tasks. Image and Vision Computing, 108, 1-11.

McArthur, M. (2020). Visions of Bhaishajyaguru, the Healing Buddha. Web.

Slocumb, H. (2018). Thangka painting: An exploration of Tibetan Buddhism through art (Thesis). Web.

Zhu, Z., & Eckfeld, T. (2016). The development of conservation practices in China from the 1980s to the present. AICCM Bulletin, 37(1), 26-34.

Zhu, Z., Wang, J., Yao, X., Ma, Q., Wang, J., Lu, Z.,… & Cao, J. (2022). Multi-analytical Study on the Tara Thangka at Daxingshan Temple in Xi’an, Shaanxi, China. Studies in Conservation, 1-12. Web.

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