Tibetan Thangka: A Sacred Path to Enlightenment

An Interview with Thangka master, Kelsang Namgyal, from Schechen Monastery.

Interviewer/Author: Jiaying Xu
Editor: Daniel Shats
Transcription: Yitao Yu

 

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Literally meaning “hanging scroll painting” in Tibetan[1], Thangka is embroidered or painted on woven materials, usually cotton, linen, or silk, to manifest the spiritual aspirations of Buddhist practitioners. Tibetan Thangka gives form to the fundamental Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhist notion of emptiness (སྟོང་པ་ཉིད།); its subject ranges from the peaceful Goddess Tara and the thousand-handed Avalokiteshvara to the wrathful god of death, Yama, and war goddess Begtse.[2] Practitioners not only value Thangka for its aesthetic beauty, but primarily for its use as a bridge between themselves and a particular deity in mediational practices.

Thangkas have gained more and more attention from art lovers and collectors due to an increased interest in Tibetan Buddhism. Tragically, more than six thousand monasteries and the art housed within them were destroyed in the Chinese Cultural Revolution during the 1960s.[3] Since the 1980s, independent art studios flourished in the Kathmandu Valley to produce Thangkas for tourists. Many of those artists, however, have not properly learned the traditional painting methods and most of the new Thangkas flooding the market have incorrect iconographies and poor body proportions.[4] The tradition of Tibetan Thangka painting is thus in jeopardy.

In 1996, Schechen Rabjam Rinpoche established the Tsering Art School in Nepal in response to the urgent need for training artists in a pure and authentic lineage of Thangka paintings. The school aims to ensure that people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills to keep this sacred Himalayan Buddhist art alive. Under the guidance of Konchog-la and some of the school’s graduate artists, students are trained in the Karma Gadri style of painting, a painting lineage known for its spacious landscape and transparent treatment of color.[5]

Naturally occurring pigments for Thangka painting, August 2017 — Photo by Jiaying Xu

Aperture Philosophy Forum recently spoke with Kelsang Namgyal, a painting master from Tsering Art School who is currently co-managing the school, about the ritualistic functions of Thangka and the methods to preserve this vital part of Himalayan tradition.

 

APF: Thank you for accepting our interview. Thangka artists are known to have little freedom in their creation process, in a Western sense; they have to apply extreme attention and rigor at every stage of painting according to exact canonical rules. What are the artistic disciplines that your students follow and how do they nourish a better understanding of the Tibetan Buddhism?

KN: Painting Thangka is almost the same as doing spiritual practices. Our entry-level painting courses are open to all students who are interested regardless of their religious background. Our higher level courses involve painting Buddha’s image. Therefore, students must be Buddhist practitioners in order to draw Buddhist deities. Because when students don’t realize the importance of Buddha and the religion, they can easily misuse Buddhist images and thus create bad karma for themselves. For students in higher-level courses, they have to do prostration together early in the morning and then do daily morning prayer. This morning routine takes about half an hour. Then they will do five-minute meditation together before starting the class. Basically, we teach drawing in the morning and we have coloring classes in the afternoon. The training lasts for six years. Every day when students finish their classes, they have to dedicate themselves to praying again for about half an hour. After finishing the six-year course, some students move on taking another three years of courses. These courses focuses on examining the mental state required for making a Thangka painting. Students at this level need to pay more attention to every one of their thoughts and moves, for they have the responsibility to provide accurate roadmaps for guiding practitioners to the original insight of Buddhist masters. Any minor mistake in the painting could have the serious consequence of misguiding practitioners on their spiritual path.

Senior Thangka Master from Tsering Art School, August 2017 — Photo by Jiaying Xu

APF: The role of Thangka artists is commonly depicted as a medium or channel; “they rise above their mundane consciousness to bring a higher truth into this world,” and to “ensure that this truth remains intact, they must diligently adhere to all the correct guidelines.”[6] But the vitality of art lies partly in its ability to self-renovate. To keep Thangka up to date, some artists, such as Tsherin Sherpa, have attempted to work outside the traditional confines by combining Thangka with contemporary art forms. Do you think innovation is necessary for introducing Tibetan Buddhism to contemporary audiences? If so, how can one strike a balance between tradition and innovation in Thangka?

KN: Of course, contemporary art or any other form of art can be practiced with a similar approach as Thangka. Whether to innovate or not really depends on the motivation of artists. At Tsering Art School, the primary motivation of students should be understanding the profound nature of reality and achieving the level of non-self. All the physical details of Buddhist deities are well-documented in different Buddhist scriptures. In order to accurately visualize Buddhist figures, students need to be familiar with various scriptures and constantly consult them during the painting process. For us, innovation lies in the artists’ ability to correctly transform verbal descriptions into visual expressions. Any innovations beyond that can involve much ego, arrogance and disrespect. I think innovation is acceptable, but we do not expect students to innovate too much unless they have laid a solid foundation of traditional Thangka painting after six years of training.

Student’s Work, August 2017 — Photo by Jiaying Xu

APF: Why are Thangkas considered one of the most important tools for Buddhist practice, and how are they used?

KN: Okay. First of all, Thangkas are easy to transport; they can be rolled up. In Tibet, people are always moving, so they need something that is easy to take with them. Secondly, images can be the pathway to Enlightenment, for they represent the spiritual realization that occurs in a vision. Many people, however, are not able to accurately visualize Buddhist texts. Thangkas are thus useful in helping practitioners better understand Buddhist principles and memorize them, especially at the very beginning of their meditation practices. People usually hang Thangkas on their walls.

APF: From a buyer’s perspective, what are the standards for choosing a good Thangka art work from the market?

KN: It is hard to say that one Thangka is good and another is bad. As long as they contain Buddhist images, the paintings are all sacred at some level. But the way I choose a Thangka is to observe the process of how it is done. I evaluate the artwork by considering whether the artist has a good heart and whether he or she closely adheres to the painting procedures and carefully examines the Buddhist texts. We’d better not perceive Thangka as commercial products that can be easily sold and bought on market. Thangka is less about the buyer, but more about the artist. For an artist, painting a Thangka is also accumulating merits. If the motivation of an artist is to benefit all sentient beings, then his or her work will be more likely to guide the viewer to the proper place. Yet, the most difficult thing for an artist is to maintain their motivation according to the Buddhist principles, because he or she can be easily tempted by thinking about how much they can sell. If I am a buyer, I will look for the artist first before choosing a Thangka.

Kelsang Namgyal explaining the process of painting Thangka, August 2017 — Photo by Jiaying Xu

APF: That’s true. How would you describe the state of Thangka in our current days?

KN: People nowadays are having more interests in Thangkas and are curious to learn more. I think it is partly because of the increasing popularity of Buddhism. As more people get involved in Buddhism, the demand for Thangkas increases. It is difficult for artists to keep up with the demand, for one Thangka painting takes months and even years to complete. As a result, many low-quality Thangkas have flooded the market to fulfill customer needs. It is good for people to have interest in Buddhism, but I am also worried about the future of Thangka. I hope Tsering Art School could be of some help in preserving this traditional art.

APF: Thank you for spending so much time with us. We wish you all the best with your upcoming trip to India. We look forward to staying in touch!

 

[1] L.M. Klasanova, “Traditions and Innovations in the Creation of Tibetan Thangka Painting,” p. 140.
[2] Jonathan DeHart, “Thangka: Painting the Roadmap to Enlightenment,” The Diplomat.
[3] Ben Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangkas — The Story of Siddhartha and Other Buddhas Interpreted in Modern Nepalese Painting, p. 96.
[4] “The Tsering Art School,” Shambhala Publications.
[5] “Tsering Art School,” Shechen.
[6] “Thangka Painting,” Norbulingka.