Religious Art

Manjushri Applique Thangka

Rs. 96,835

Thangka with brocade border 36 x 28 inches (91 x 71cm)
Thangka without brocade border 18 x 14 inches (46 x 36cm)
Please inquire if you wish to order without the brocade border. 

Manjushri is the embodiment of the wisdom that is key to ultimately becoming a Buddha. Many eons ago, Manjushri was the king of a realm called Kamjung Sangpo. Renouncing his kingdom and worldly ambitions, he received bodhisattva vows, developing the awakening mind. Finally, he attained complete enlightenment, becoming the being we know as Manjushri, Lord of Wisdom.


The multi-colored rays emanating from his golden skin signify the many ways by which he leads people to wisdom. The sword in his right hand represents the knowledge that cuts through ignorance in the minds of unenlightened beings. The sutra he carries in his left hand represents the primary means by which wisdom takes root in beings, which is the beginning of their journey towards omniscience. The flowers around him indicate that just as the flower is not tainted by the mud from which it emerged, he too is unstained by the faults he once carried in his mind as an ordinary being. He is also often depicted in a triad with Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani known as Rigsum Gonpo, symbolizing the qualities necessary for enlightenment – compassion, wisdom and power.

Each thangka is created using traditional methods and strictly adhering to the proportions of deities as they are laid down in Buddhist scripture. Our appliqu̩éd thangkas are created using hundreds of hand-cut and embroidered pieces of satin and brocade silk, stitched together with Mongolian horsetail. Each piece is witness to a unique tradition that survives intact to this day.
The thangka comes framed in a traditional silk brocade border.


Learn more about thangka appliqué at Norbulingka here.

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