Thangka, roughly translating to “recorded message” in Tibetan, is an ancient form of Buddhist Art that originated within Tibet around the 11th century. Thought to serve as a teaching and meditation tool for religious scholars, thangka paintings are usually vertically oriented scrolls crafted on silk or cotton fabric. These works often depict great Buddhist teachers and deities surrounded by other important religious icons.
Brightly coloured using mineral and organic pigments mixed with animal glue, densely illustrative, and painstakingly detailed, the thangka serves as a striking centrepiece that can be appreciated by all admirers of Asian Art
A thangka painting was traditionally a portable fabric scroll, kept unframed, and intended to be used either for personal meditation or in order to instruct other individuals in Buddhist teachings. Thangkas use a combination of depictions of deities or influential leaders, alongside symbols and very precise geometry in order to help aid the viewer on his or her path to enlightenment.
Thangkas can also serve to retell a historical event involving a well-known lama, or depict a myth of a deity like a Buddha or bodhisattva It is believed that if painted correctly and beautifully, these works could house the spirits of their deities, and so a very strict set of rules and patterns is taught and enforced.
The deities must always be depicted with the exact same proportions, the colour palette is restricted, and the stances of the figures are heavily curated. The monks who produce these works must spend at least six years studying the art form before the painting can be deemed acceptable to Buddhist standards.
Colours as symbolism
Blue is associated with purity and healing. Akshobhya is the Buddha of this colour. The ears are the body part that is represented by the colour blue. Air is the element that accompanies this colour. It is believed, when meditating on this colour, anger can be transformed into wisdom.
White is the colour of learning and knowledge in Buddhism. It is represented by the Buddha Vairocana. The eyes are associated with white. White is in the elemental group of water. If meditated upon, white can cut the delusion of ignorance and turn it into the wisdom of reality.
Red is related to life force and preservation. The Buddha Amitabha is depicted with a red body in Tibetan art. The part of the body associated with this colour is the tongue. Fire is the natural element complementary to the colour red. In Buddhism, meditating on the colour red transforms the delusion of attachment into the wisdom of discernment.
Green is the colour of balance and harmony. Amoghasiddhi is the Buddha of the colour green. The head is the body part that is associated with this colour. Green represents nature. Meditate on this colour to transform jealousy into the wisdom of accomplishment.
Yellow symbolizes rootedness and renunciation. Buddha Ratnasambhava is associated with yellow. The nose is represented by this color. Earth is the element that accompanies the color yellow. Yellow transforms pride into wisdom of sameness when visualized in meditation.
These Five Pure Lights are often seen in Mandala and Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags
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