Closeups of paintings of great historical characters from Bhutanese Buddhism ☸️ displayed on a chorten near the Old Faithful tree.
1- This is Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), the revered Buddhist master who brought Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th century. He is considered the “Second Buddha” and is credited with subduing demonic forces, blessing sacred sites, and establishing Buddhism as the dominant spiritual tradition in Bhutan. His teachings and hidden treasures (terma) continue to shape Bhutanese Buddhist practice today. 2-This is Pema Lingpa, one of Bhutan’s greatest tertons (treasure revealers). He was a 15th-century saint and spiritual master who discovered sacred Buddhist teachings (terma) hidden by Guru Rinpoche. Pema Lingpa’s prophecies, visions, and contributions to Bhutanese culture, including sacred dances and religious texts, remain influential in Bhutanese Buddhism today.3-This is Palden Lhamo (also known as Mahakali), the fierce female protector deity (Dharmapala) in Bhutanese and Tibetan Buddhism. She is the wrathful guardian of the Buddhist teachings and the only female among the Eight Dharma Protectors. Depicted with a flaming aura, wearing a garland of skulls, and riding a mule across a sea of blood, she is associated with wisdom, protection, and the destruction of obstacles on the spiritual path.4-This appears to be Shakyamuni Buddha (also known as Buddha Gautama or the historical Buddha) depicted in traditional Bhutanese thangka painting style. He is shown in his classic meditation pose, wearing orange monastic robes adorned with floral patterns, sitting on a lotus throne, with a golden complexion and the urna (third eye mark) on his forehead. The sun and moon symbols in the background are also typical elements of Buddhist iconography.
