What is Thangka Painting?

A thangka is a traditional painting of a Tibetan Buddhist deity, or a mandala worshipped in the monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism. Thangka painting is strictly governed by iconographic rules. In Tibet they are traditionally the centre of Buddhist ceremonies. They have served this important role for over a thousand years.

Chenrezig
Otherwise known as Avalokitesvara, according to the Mahayana doctrine, Avalokitesvara is the bodhisattva who has made a great vow to listen to the prayers of all sentient beings in times of difficulty, and to postpone his own Buddhahood until he has assisted every being on Earth in achieving nirvana. The Dalai Lama is considered by the Gelugpa sect and many other Tibetan Buddhists to be the primary earthly manifestation of Chenrezig.

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