Art

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