Art

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