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 mandalas, 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 Dhyani Buddha Vairochana, embraced by his shakt:, or divine spouse, the Mother of Infinite Space. In the next circle, each likewise embraced by his shat, are the four Dhyani Buddhas, who, with Vairochana, constitute the mazdala of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. In the outermost circle are typical Bodhisattvas and other deities who accompany the Five Dhyani 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 mandalas 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, mandala by mandala, from the Eighth to the Twelfth Day (cf. pp. 136-41). The outer circle contains repre- sentations 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 I20 and 144.
Il]. EFFIGY OF THE DEAD PERSON ee mae One a8
A reproduction (slightly reduced) of a copy of a Tibetan printed
Chang-ku paper.
xviii ILLUSTRATIONS
IV. THE GREAT MANDALA 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 Thddol 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 shakt:, on lion throne (cf. pp. 105- 6); at the top, Samanta-Bhadra (blue) and skakti; in subordinate circle on the left, Chenrazee (above), Mafijushri (below, on left), Vajra-Pani (below, on right); in subordinate circle on the right, Tson Khapa, a famous Tibetan guru (above), and his two chief shishyas (or disciples), Gendundub (below, on left), and Gyltshabje (below, on right).
Lower circle (East): at the centre, Vajra-Sattva (blue), the reflex of Akshobhya, and shakti, on elephant throne ; Pushpa (above); Lasya (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; Dhipa (above); Mala (below) ; and Bodhi- sattvas (on left and right). Cf. pp. 110-11.
Upper circle (West): at the centre, Amitabha (red) and shahti, on peacock throne; Aloka (above); Gita (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 Mandala, each pair on a fire- enhaloed lotus throne: upper left, Yamantaka (yellow) and shakt’, the Door-Keepers of the South; upper right, Hayagriva (red) and shakt:, the Door-Keepers of the West; lower right, Amrita-~-Dhara (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 Thédol 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
ILLUSTRATIONS xix
offerings: (1) the Zri-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 Lofa (blue) holding a book, symbolizing language and expression, or divine wisdom, which brute creatures * Tack.
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 prefas; 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 Sangsara (symbolizing sound) near the tree on the right; and, between the two Buddhas at the bottom, in two caves, yog7s, or holy men, in the Tibetan wilderness.
At the top, in the centre, presiding over the whole mandala, Buddha Amitabha (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.
V. THE GREAT MANDALA OF THE KNOWLEDGE-HOLD- ING AND WRATHFUL DEITIES ... . . facing p. 136
Innermost circle: upper centre, Samanta-Bhadra (blue) and shaki, 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 shai? (cf. p. 138); upper left (South), the Ratna Heruka (yellow) and shakii (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 mara beings (i.e. human beings, whose existence, being purely phenomenal, or karmic, is illusion, or maya), symbolizing the treading under foot of sangsaric (i.e. worldly) existence. At the bottom are offerings of the five sangsaric 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
xX ILLUSTRATIONS
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 Yoginis 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 Know- ledge-Holding Deity of the Great Symbol (red) and shakt’; lower right (North), the Self-Evolved Knowledge-Holder (green) and shakit. Each pair of deities of this mandala, that dawns intermediately (i.e. between the szandalas of the Peaceful Deities and the mandalas of the Wrathful Deities) on the Seventh Day (cf. pp. 126-8), are in peaceful aspect, on an cnhaloed lotus and lunar throne, performing a mystic dance which is Tantric.
At the top, in the centre, presiding over the whole greater mandala, is Samanta-Bhadra (dark blue), the Adi-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 . ..—st. 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 Tibctan artist named Lharipa-Pempa-Tendup-La, to illustrate the Judgement (see P. 37).
Occupying the central position is Dharma-Raja, the King of Truth, or Administrator of Truth and Justice, otherwise called Yama-Raja, the King and Judge of the Dead. He is the wrathful aspect of Chenrazce, the National Divine Protector of Tibet. The third eye ot 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 mara form, symbolic of the maya (i.e. Jlusionary) 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
ILLUSTRATIONS xxi
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 67, or chief, mantra of Chenrazee.
Directly in front of Dharma-Raja 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 farma, 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-RaAja, 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 anoose, 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 /ama; 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 Zoéas, 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 /ama; next to him is a government official
xxii ILLUSTRATIONS
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 lama.