Untitled

Unknown

16th century · Distemper and ink on cloth · Asian Art

Mandalas serve as visualizations of the Buddhist cosmos. Celestial palaces for divine beings exist within them, represented here in two-dimensional form. Tibetan monasteries are likewise conceived as three-dimensional mandalas. Residing in this four-fold mandala are the esoteric Buddhist deity Gukyasamaja (a form of Akshobya), Vairochana, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi—the five transcendent Buddhas embodying supreme wisdom. Together they command the universe, harnessing enlightenment qualities to aid those seeking true knowledge. Meditation upon this cosmic map aids those journeying on that path.

Artist

Unknown

Date

16th century

Medium

Distemper and ink on cloth

Culture

Tibet

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Doris Rubin, in memory of Harry Rubin, 1989