JAMGON KONGTRUL LODRO TAYE

An emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri

In this painting, Jamgon Kongtrul turns to his right and bows his head towards the flaming jewels in front of his seat. With this simple direct gesture, he is exemplifying to us the honor to be given to the Buddha, to the Buddha’s teachings, the community of practitioners. Kongtrul holds his hands in the dharmachakra mudra at his heart level. This is the gesture of turning the wheel of dharma thus activating the teachings in our world system. Two lotus flowers are symbolic seats for the liberating capacity of Kongtrul’s enlightened qualities, indicated by the flaming sword rising above the Perfection of Wisdom text on his right, and the auspicious vase topped by a symbol of the inter-dependent relationship of all phenomena.