The 58 Wrathful Deities of the Guhyagarbha Tantra

Artist

Tibetan (Tibetan)

Date

18th-19th century

Medium

Pigments, gilding on sized cloth

Dimensions

Image : 25 1/2 x 19 1/2 in. (64.77 x 49.53 cm)
Work : 49 x 35 1/2 in. (1.2 m x 90.17 cm)
Frame : 55 x 40 in. (1.4 x 1 m)

Credit Line

Hope College Collection

Object Number

2014.31

Label

The Guhyagarbha Tantra is an important text in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The text describes two sacred diagrams (mandala) featuring 58 wrathful deities and 42 peaceful deities that provide focal points for meditation and help Nyingma followers advance toward enlightenment. Although the deities appear fierce and frightening, their mission is to protect faithful Buddhists from evil forces and from their own sinful inclinations. Proper understanding of the Guhyagarbha Tantra is achieved through a combination of instruction from a master and prolonged meditation, and paintings like this would traditionally have been shown only to experienced adepts.