Notes on Lord of the Lotus
This painting represents the first of the eight aspects of Pamasambhava or Guru Rinpoche. Historically, he was an Indian teacher and tantric master who brought the complete teachings of the Buddha to Tibet. Within the sacred texts of the four schools or yanas of Vajrayana (Tibetan Budhaism) his life journey is described in eight "aspects", each having a different name and different characteristics. Each aspect can be thought of as possessing or demonstrating a differing type of psychological and spiritual manifestation from each of the others. The Pema Jungne aspect is the puer aeternus manifestation."Pamasambhava was born in a lotus flower on a lake. He was born a prince, young and cute, but also bright, terrifyingly bright. His bright eyes look at you. He is not afraid to touch anything at all. Sometimes it is embarrassing to be around him, this good and beautiful eight-year-old infant. ..........He danced holding two scepters - a vajra and a trident................"
Chögyam Trungpa, Crazy Wisdom 1991
My paintings of Pamasambhava are inquiries from a Western perspective and
in no way should they be taken as "tankas". Buddhist tankas are
precisely crafted religious paintings who's components, proportions, and
colors are based on tradition.