Art

  • Vase with Lotus Vines and the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Jizo Bosatsu, Bodhisattva in the Guise of a Monk
  • State Oracle Garment
  • Plaque Showing the Buddha Teaching
  • Buddhist Monastic Rules from the Pali Canon
  • Taima Mandala, the Buddha Amida’s Paradise
  • Mara’s Daughters Tempt the Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Sheltered by the Serpent-King
  • Buddhist Votive Stela of the Yan Family
  • Portrait of the Zen Priest Gemmon Doyu
  • Head of the Buddha
  • The Prophecy of the Buddha Dipankara
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion as the Bringer of Sons
  • Great Stupa at Sanchi
  • Buddha Shakyamuni 
  • Sitatara, White Tara
  • Zen Priest in a Golden Wrap
  • Excerpt from the Lotus Sutra
  • Standing Buddha
  • Bodhidharma Crosses the Yangtze River on a Reed
  • Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • Baisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Monumental Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Buddha Shakyamuni From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Head of a Buddha
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddha Dipankara, the Buddha of the Past
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Vijaya Stupa
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Attains Awakening Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Gazelle
  • The Buddha Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Green Tara (Shyama Tara)
  • Head of a Lokeshvara
  • Buddhist Pocket-sized Prayer Altar
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • Ceremonial Dagger Featuring the God of Death
  • Votive Stela Depicting Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Stela Showing Scenes from the Life of the Buddha
  • Stupa
  • Standing Monk with Hands Folded
  • Yakshi, Nymph with Lotus Flowers, fragment of a baluster
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Buddhist Monk
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddha Shakyamuni and the Earth-Touching Gesture
  • The Prophecy of the Wise Asita
  • Machig Labdrön
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Sakya Pandita (1182–1252)
  • Praying Priest
  • Amida Nyorai, Buddha of the Western Paradise
  • Budai
  • The Buddha Begins Teaching
  • Votive Stela with Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Standing Bodhisattva
  • Travel Shrine
  • Head of the Buddha
  • The Four Excursions
  • Buddha Shakyamuni with Scenes from his Life
  • Ushnishavijaya
  • The Death of the Buddha
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion Sitting in Meditation
  • Mahasiddha Virupa
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom
  • The Buddha’s Parinirvana
  • Portrait of the Abbot Ennin
  • Shaka Nyorai, the Historical Buddha
  • Head of a Monk
  • Printing Block for a Prayer from the Text “Embodiment of the Three Jewels” by Jatson Nyingpo (1585–1656)
  • The Arhats Vanavasin, Angaja, Kalika, and Ajita From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Buddha Shakyamuni at the Moment of his Awakening
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Leaving for Homelessness
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Meditating Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Large Votive Stupa
  • Bust of a Luohan
  • Six Persimmons
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion in the Posture of Royal Ease
  • Standing Buddha Amida
  • Prince Siddhartha’s Wedding
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Rectangular Coin
  • Thangka of the Twenty-One Taras
  • Half-length Portrait of the Zen Patriarch Bodhidharma
  • Monastic Rules for Monks
  • Hotei
  • Hotei, One of the Gods of Good Fortune, with Child
  • Dharmatala and two lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The Ascetic Milarepa
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Tames the Wild Elephant Nalagiri
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as the Patron of fishermen
  • Dakini Vasya-Vajravarahi
  • The Layman Huashang and Two Lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Gendün Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama (1476–1542)
  • Bodhidharma
  • Dharmapala Yama
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Transcendent Buddha Akshobhya
  • The Arhats Panthaka, Gopaka, Nagasena, and Abheda From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Arhats Bakula, Rahula, Cudapanthaka, and Pindola From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Jambhala, the God of Wealth
  • Female Monkey with Her Young
  • The Arhats Kanakavasta, Vajriputra, Kanaka Bharadvaja, and Bhadra From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The Four Pleasures of Nan Shenglu (detail)
  • Standing Tara
  • The 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617)
  • Padmasambhava
  • Buddha Vairocana
  • Dharani Sutra of the Heart of the Perfection of Insight
  • Buddha Shakyamuni as a Newborn Infant
  • Shakyamuni Enters Nirvana
  • Stupa
  • Relief of the Five Transcendent Buddhas
  • Buddha Maitreya
  • Guhyamanjuvajra
  • Empress Jito, from the series “Parody of the Ogura Version of ‘One Hundred Poets, One Hundred Poems’ ”
  • Pancha Raksha Manuscript
  • Vajradhara, the Primordial Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Three Buddhas Dipankara, Shakyamuni, and Maitreya
The 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617)

The 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617)

The Mongol ruler Altan Khan conferred the title of Dalai Lama (“Ocean-like Teacher”) on the head of the Gelug School in 1578.

After the lama's death, his reincarnation was found to be the son of a Mongol prince, thus further consolidating the ties between the Gelug School and its Mongol patrons. The child was recognized as the 4th Dalai Lama, Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617). 

In this standardized portrayal, the 4th Dalai Lama sits upon a throne. To his right, we see the monastery of Sera, where he was abbot. Appearing in a vision at the top left is his teacher, Panchen Lama Lobzang Choki Gyaltsen (1570–1662). Three protective deities wreathed in flames surround the Dalai Lama.