The painting on the upper folio illustrates, with the colours, emblems, and orientation in strict accord with the traditions of Tibetan monastic art, the description in the text of the united maṇḍalas, or divine conclaves, of the Peaceful Deities of the First to the Sixth Day of the Bardo that dawn thus in one complete conclave on the Sixth Day (cf. pp. 118–26). In the central circle (Centre) is the Dhyānī Buddha Vairochana, embraced by his shakti, or divine spouse, the Mother of Infinite Space. In the next circle, each likewise embraced by his shakti, are the four Dhyānī Buddhas, who, with Vairochana, constitute the maṇḍala of the Five Dhyānī Buddhas. In the outermost circle are typical Bodhisattvas and other deities who accompany the Five Dhyānī Buddhas (cf. pp. 118–20); and in the four small outer circles the four female Door-Keepers of the complete conclave (cf. p. 120).

The painting on the lower folio similarly illustrates, in colours, emblems, and orientation, the united maṇḍalas of the Wrathful Deities of the Eighth to the Fourteenth Day that dawn thus in one complete conclave on the Fourteenth Day (cf. pp. 143–6). In the cruciform design at the centre are the three-headed Herukas of the Buddha, Vajra, Ratna, Padma, and Karma Order, each with his shakti, that dawn, maṇḍala by maṇḍala, from the Eighth to the Twelfth Day (cf. pp. 136–41). The outer circle contains representations of the various animal-headed deities that dawn on the Thirteenth and the Fourteenth Day (cf. pp. 141–6). In the four small outer circles are the Four Yoginis of the Door (cf. pp. 145–6).

The translation of the text on the two folios is indicated by special markings on pages 120 and 144.

III.

Effigy of the Dead Person

A reproduction (slightly reduced) of a copy of a Tibetan printed Chang-ku paper.

IV.

The Great Maṇḍala of the Peaceful Deities

facing p. 118

This and the companion illustration, number V, following, are photographic reproductions (about one-fourth of the original size) of two paintings in colour, on heavy cotton cloth, made in the chief monastery of Gyantse, Tibet, on the instructions of Major W. L. Campbell, to illustrate our Bardo Thödol translation (see Preface, p. xi). The colours, emblems, and orientations, as in the two manuscript illuminations described above, are in accord with the strict conventions of the religious art of Tibet. The correlations, too, between the text and the deities depicted, as brought out in the description of the two manuscript illuminations, also apply to these two more elaborate paintings.

Innermost circle (representing the Centre of the orientation): at the centre, Vairochana (white) and shakti, on lion throne (cf. pp. 105–6); at the top, Samanta-Bhadra (blue) and shakti; in subordinate circle on the left, Chenrazee (above), Mañjushrī (below, on left), Vajra-Pāni (below, on right); in subordinate circle on the right, Tsoṅ Khapa, a famous Tibetan guru (above), and his two chief shiṣḥyas (or disciples), Gendundub (below, on left), and Gyltshabje (below, on right).

Lower circle (East): at the centre, Vajra-Sattva (blue), the reflex of Akṣḥobhya, and shakti, on elephant throne; Pushpā (above); Lāsyā (below); and Bodhisattvas (on left and right). Cf. pp. 108–9.

Left circle (South): at the centre, Ratna-Sambhava (yellow) and shakti, on horse throne; Dhūpa (above); Mālā (below); and Bodhisattvas (on left and right). Cf. pp. 110–11.

Upper circle (West): at the centre, Amitābha (red) and shakti, on peacock throne; Āloka (above); Gīta (below); and Bodhisattvas (on left and right). Cf. p. 113.

Right circle (North): at the centre, Amogha-Siddhi (green) and shakti, on harpy throne; Naivedya (above); Gandha (below); and Bodhisattvas (on left and right). Cf. pp. 115–6.

Occupying the four corners of the great circle are the four chief Door-Keepers (cf. p. 120) of the Maṇḍala, each pair on a fire-enhaloed lotus throne: upper left, Yamāntaka (yellow) and shakti, the Door-Keepers of the South; upper right, Hayagrīva (red) and shahti, the Door-Keepers of the West; lower right, Amṛitā-Dhāra (white) and shakti, the Door-Keepers of the North; lower left, Vijaya (green) and shakti, the Door-Keepers of the East. At the bottom, in the centre, Padma Sambhava, the Great Human Guru of the Bardo Thödol Doctrine, in royal robes and pandit head-dress, holding a skull filled with blood, symbolical of renunciation of life, in his left hand, and a dorje, symbolical of mastery over life, in his right. At his feet lie offerings: (1) the Tri-Ratna or Three Jewels of the Buddhist Faith, (2) a pair of elephant tusks, and (3) a branch of red coral. To the right of the Guru stands the Buddha of the Human Loka (yellow), Shakya Muni, holding a bhikkhu-staff and a begging-bowl; to the right, the Buddha of the Brute Loka (blue) holding a book, symbolizing language and expression, or divine wisdom, which brute creatures lack.

In the four corners are the four other Buddhas of the Six Lokas (cf. p. 121): upper left, the Buddha of the Deva Loka (white), holding a guitar, symbolizing excellence in arts and sciences and the harmony of existence in the world of the devas; upper right, the Buddha of the Asura Loka (green), holding a sword symbolizing the warlike nature of asuras; lower left, the Buddha of the Preta Loka (red), holding a box filled with all desirable objects to satisfy the cravings of the pretas; lower right, the Buddha of Hell (smoke-coloured), holding fire for consuming and water for purifying.

Among other embellishments added by the artist are a sacred mirror (symbolizing form or body, which it reflects) near the trees on the left, and a sacred conch-shell trumpet of victory over the Sangsāra (symbolizing sound) near the tree on the right; and, between the two Buddhas at the bottom, in two caves, yogīs, or holy men, in the Tibetan wilderness.

At the top, in the centre, presiding over the whole maṇḍala, Buddha Amitābha (red), on an enhaloed lotus and lunar throne holding a begging-bowl, with lotuses and the moon (white) on the left and lotuses and the sun (gold) on the right.

The Great Maṇḍala of the Knowledge-Holding and Wrathful Deities

facing p. 136

Innermost circle: upper centre, Samanta-Bhadra (blue) and shakti, in wrathful aspect; lower centre (Centre), the Buddha Heruka (dark brown) and shakti (cf. p. 137); lower left (East), the Vajra Heruka (dark blue) and shakti (cf. p. 138); upper left (South), the Ratna Heruka (yellow) and shakti (cf. pp. 138–9); upper right (West), the Padma Heruka (reddish-brown) and shakti (cf. pp. 139–40); lower right (North), the Karma Heruka (dark green) and shakti (cf. pp. 140–1). Each pair of these deities are on a lotus and solar throne, enhaloed by flames of wisdom, and treading under foot mārā beings (i.e. human beings, whose existence, being purely phenomenal, or karmic, is illusion, or māyā), symbolizing the treading under foot of sangsāric (i.e. worldly) existence. At the bottom are offerings of the five sangsāric senses, symbolized by (1) two eyes, (2) two ears, (3) a tongue, (4) a heart (in the centre), and (5) a nose (above the heart); also of three blood-filled human skull-cups, held in position by small human skulls, all of which symbolize renunciation of the world.

Second circle: the Eight Kerimas (cf. pp. 142–3).

Third circle: the Eight Htamenmas (cf. p. 143) and the Four Female Door-Keepers (cf. pp. 143–4).

Outermost circle: the Twenty-Eight Various-Headed Mighty Goddesses (cf. pp. 144–5), four of whom are the Four Yoginīs of the Door (cf. pp. 145–6).

At the bottom, in the centre (Centre) the supreme Knowledge-Holding Deity, the Lotus Lord of Dance (red, for the five colours of text) and shakti. In the four corners, his four companion deities: lower left (East), the Earth-Abiding Knowledge-Holder (white) and shakti; upper left (South), the Knowledge-Holder Having Power Over Duration of Life (yellow) and shakti; upper right (West), the Knowledge-Holding Deity of the Great Symbol (red) and shakti; lower right (North), the Self-Evolved Knowledge-Holder (green) and shakti. Each pair of deities of this maṇḍala, that dawns intermediately (i.e. between the maṇḍalas of the Peaceful Deities and the maṇḍalas of the Wrathful Deities) on the Seventh Day (cf. pp. 126–8), are in peaceful aspect, on an enhaloed lotus and lunar throne, performing a mystic dance which is Tantric.

At the top, in the centre, presiding over the whole greater maṇḍala, is Samanta-Bhadra (dark blue), the Ādi-Buddha, and shakti (white), in peaceful aspect, on a lotus and lunar throne, enhaloed in rainbow colours, with lotuses and the moon (white) on his right and lotuses and the sun (gold) on his left.

VI.

The Tibetan Judgement

facing p. 166

A photographic reproduction (about one-fourth of the original size) of a monastic painting in colour, on heavy cotton cloth, made on the instructions of the editor, in Gangtok, Sikkim, by a Tibetan artist named Lharipa-Pempa-Tendup-La, to illustrate the Judgement (see p. 37).

Occupying the central position is Dharma-Rāja, the King of Truth, or Administrator of Truth and Justice, otherwise called Yama-Rāja, the King and Judge of the Dead. He is the wrathful aspect of Chenrazee, the National Divine Protector of Tibet. The third eye of spiritual insight is in his forehead. He stands enhaloed in flames of wisdom, on a solar throne supported by a lotus throne, treading under foot a mārā form, symbolic of the māyā (i.e. illusionary) nature of human existence. His head-dress is adorned with human skulls, and a serpent forms his necklace. His necklet is a human hide, the head of which protrudes from behind his right side, and a hand and foot hang down over the centre of his breast. A girdle of human heads surrounds his waist. His pavilion and the walls of his Court are adorned with the skull-symbols of death. His sword is the sword of spiritual power. The mirror in his left hand is the Mirror of Karma, in which are reflected every good and evil act (cf. p. 166) of each of the dead who are being judged, one by one. There is written on the mirror, in Tibetan, ‘Hri,’ the bij, or chief, mantra of Chenrazee.

Directly in front of Dharma-Rāja is the Monkey-Headed One, Sprehu-gochan (Tib. Sfre-hu-mgo-chan), otherwise called Shinje (cf. pp. 36–7), holding the scales, on one side of which are heaped-up black pebbles, the evil deeds, and, on the other, heaped-up white pebbles, the good deeds. On the right of Shinje stands the Little White God, emptying a sack of white pebbles; on the other side, the Little Black God, emptying a sack of black pebbles (cf. p. 166).

Guarding the weighing are the Bull-Headed One, Wang-gochan (Tib. Glang-mgo-chan), holding another mirror of karma, and the Serpent-Headed One, Dul-gochan (Tib. Sbrul-mgo-chan), holding a scourge and a noose.

A yellow deity, on the right of Dharma-Rāja, holding a writing-tablet and a stilus, and a brown deity, on the left, holding a sword and a noose, are the two Advocates. The yellow advocate is the defender, the brown advocate is the accuser. The six deities, five of whom are animal-headed, sitting in the Court of Judgement, three on either side, like a jury of subordinate judges, supervise the proceedings in order to ensure regularity of procedure and impartial justice (cf. pp. 35–7). The first above on the right holds a mirror of karma and a skull-cup of blood, the second a battle-axe and a skull-cup of blood, the third a noose. The first above on the left holds a battle-axe and skull-cup of blood, the second a small vase of blossoms in his right hand, the third a dorje and a skull-cup of blood.

Near the gate on the left and the gate on the right stands one of the avenging furies who act as warders. There are ten Tibetans in the foreground of the Court awaiting judgement. The one with a conical head-dress (in red) is a red-cap lāma; the one with a round head-dress (in yellow) is a government official. The others are ordinary people. The three gates, through which the condemned enter the Hells below, are guarded by three animal-headed porters, each holding a noose.

Issuing from the Court, at either side of the Judge, are the Six Karmic Pathways, leading to the Six Buddhas of the Six Lokas, in whom the Pathways end, each Pathway and Buddha in appropriate colour (cf. p. 124 and Illustration IV). Traversing the Pathways are twelve of the dead who have recently been judged. The highest one, upon the left, on the white light-path approaching the Buddha of the Deva Loka, is a yellow-cap lāma; next to him is a government official on the yellow light-path approaching the Buddha of the Human Loka; the highest upon the right, on the green light-path approaching the Buddha of the Asura Loka, is a red-cap lāma.