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Dorje Drolo Tibetan Thangka

Dorje Drolo Tibetan Thangka

Dorje Drolo Tibetan Thangka
Woodblock print, ink and paper
23.25 x 15.25 in.
Tibet
1971.069

Introduction

Just outside downtown Nashville lies the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center of Tennessee. This is less than an hour away from Vanderbilt University Museum of Art (VUMA) where this print is held. The presence of both in Middle Tennessee, thousands of miles away from Tibet, hints at the significance of an important figure in Buddhist art. With eight forms, Padmasambhava is commonly depicted in Buddhist imagery, especially throughout Tibetan Buddhist art. In the center of this Tibetan print, Padmasambhava is shown as a large, beast-like figure with three eyes. Fierce in appearance, the figure represents the wrathful manifestation of Padmasambhava known as Dorje Drolo. The other seven manifestations of this deity include: Shakya Sengge, Pema Jungne, Nyima Wozer, Sengge Dradrok, Tsokye Dorje, Pema Gyelpo, and Loden Chokse. However, by choosing the wrathful form, a distinctive iconographical message can be attributed to the artwork, informing viewers based on this deity’s life events. 

Padmasambhava is also known as Guru Rinpoche who was born in the modern-day Swat District of Pakistan in the eighth century CE and invited to Tibet to help build the first Buddhist monastery in the area.1 Thus, he is credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet, creating the popularity of the religion in this same century as he converted people to the faith by overcoming obstacles. Rinpoche subdues demons and spirits in Tibet as Dorje Drolo and serves as a protector and eliminator of evil spirits on the path to enlightenment, or an “awakening” to discover the truth about reality which all Buddhists strive to reach, in Buddhism.2 By closely examining this artwork, viewers could also strive to reach enlightenment, overcoming obstacles as Rinpoche once did in his lifetime.

Dorje Drolo and His Iconography

This print contains many defining characteristics of Dorje Drolo that hint at the artwork’s ritual purpose. For instance, in Drolo’s right hand, he holds a vajra scepter, a common implement of Tibetan Buddhist rituals that signifies compassion and aids in reaching enlightenment.3 Additionally, in his left hand he holds a phurba, a ritual dagger often used to symbolize the powerful Buddha activity of the wrathful deity Vajrakilaya, whose practice can destroy obstructions.4 He is mounted upon a similarly ferocious tiger that is commonly seen in Tibetan art. While the tiger is not native to Tibet, images of the Bengal tigers of India and the long-haired tigers of China diffused to Tibet, leading to its frequent portrayal in Tibetan artwork.5 In Vajrayana Buddhism, the tiger is the mount of several deities, especially those of a wrathful nature, as with Dorje Drolo.6 The tiger signifies the fearless and unbeatable strength of a deity and the power of their protection against evil.7 Dorje Drolo’s tiger mount likely references Guru Rinpoche’s defeat of evil spirits to establish Buddhism in Tibet. 

Print depicting Dorje Drolo, a manifestation of Padmasambhava, with iconographic features such as the vajra and phurba referenced above. Accessed from https://rubinmuseum.org/collection/f1996-31-14/.

Bon Influence

Within this print, there is a fusion between the indigenous religion of Bon and Buddhism. A skull necklace is present on Dorje Drolo, showing the syncretic nature of Tibetan art with Bon. Bon is an Indigenous belief system that included pantheonic deities, making the visual characteristics of Tibetan art distinct.10 Bon is also known for its use of fear to instill its authority in its followers’ minds. By depicting Padmasambhava with Bon images such as the skull necklace, the artist shows how Padmasabhava emanated fear to ensure that Buddhism maintained a place in Tibet during its early years.

Contrast Within the Print

Five figures surround the wrathful form, creating a strong contrast in the print. They are to the left side of the Dorje Drolo, dressed in robes with halos around their heads. The monks’ depiction creates a sense of peace due to their meditative gestures that signify an overall meditative state.9 Compared to Dorje Drolo’s fierce expression and wrathful appearance, these monks are calm and reassuring, encouraging viewers to emanate these same peaceful characteristics while striving for enlightenment. Drawing from these qualities, worshippers in Tibet could have seen themselves in these print figures, pulling inspiration from them during meditative practice to hone their devotion with a reminder to pursue inner transformation.10

Thangkas and Their Ritual Significance

Woodblock prints, similar to this one, were a prominent art form in Tibet, beginning in the early 15th century and continually growing in popularity.13 In Tibet, printwork was mass-produced to eliminate potential errors while ensuring widespread accessibility.14 This specific genre of Tibetan work is called thangka, (alt. tanka) which are usually painted but this example is printed. Thangka are known to exhibit complex images and line work, as seen in this print.15 Due to its mass production, it was possible that people could keep copies of this print at home and even carry copies with them to sacred places of worship and rituals. In particular, it was common for monks and other religious figures to carry art forms that illustrated the preaching of the Buddhist Dharma, or universal truth taught by the Buddha, while displaying iconography.16 This could be related to proselytization to spread Buddhist teachings and convert others to Buddhism.  This further illustrates the monks’ reliance on these prints for guidance and encouragement, drawing inspiration to continue on their path to enlightenment.

Likewise, the size of the print supports these conclusions, contributing to its ritual significance in Tibetan Buddhist teachings. At 23.25 x 15.25 inches, the artwork is large enough to hang and see the intricate details, but small enough to be carried. In Tibetan Buddhism, 2D images were often used ritually for visual encouragement on the path to enlightenment. Thus, whether through displaying them in the streets or hanging them in a religious space, this print likely served ritual and religious purposes, guiding lay people and monks through spiritual practice with specific image meaning. 

Conclusion

Overall, through various qualities and iconographical meanings, this print exhibits ritual significance. As Dorje Drolo removed obstacles on the path to enlightenment, this print urges worshippers to do the same, serving as a ritual object to be referenced in an enlightenment journey. Through its contrast between meditation and wrath it also inspires worshippers to mimic the same level of peacefulness and calmness in their path to enlightenment. By allowing Buddhist followers to understand various aspects of the self as one despite struggles on their enlightenment path, the artwork encourages religious devotion and ritual practice. 

Maya Gopal
Medicine, Health, and Society
Class of 2025

Lauren Link
Medicine, Health, and Society & Molecular and Cellular Biology
Class of 2025

Annotated Bibliography

Aich, Tapas K. “Buddha Philosophy and Western Psychology.” Indian Journal of Psychiatry, no. 55 (2013): 165-170. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3705677/.

This source gives insight into the intersection between Buddhism and traditional Western views regarding psychology. It explains how concepts such as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path are similar to therapy and shows how these Buddhist notions have influenced Western ideas. It also describes how This source defined many terms that arise when discussing the values of Buddhism, which was helpful to give context to the meaning of this printwork. 

Beer, Robert. The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols, Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2003.

This book reveals information about a vast number of Tibetan symbols, including those involved with wrathful deities, meditative symbols, common ritual implements, and tigers. It explains how symbols in this print can be interpreted, relating to the significance behind this artform. By understanding how the print symbols fit together, the overall message of this work can be determined. These symbols allude to the ritual use of this print from Guru Rinpoche’s wrathful form, revealing a steady path toward enlightenment despite potential obstacles.

Geoffrey, Samuel, and Oliphant, Jamyang. About Padmasambhava: Historical Narratives and Later Transformations of Guru Rinpoche. Garuda Verlag, 2020.

This book explains who Padmasambhava was from his life origins to the legacy he has left on Buddhism. Since the woodblock print was Tibetan, the source gave more context about Padmasambhava’s role in bringing Buddhism to Tibet and helping establish it there. The book also described his eight transformations, including the one in the print,  Dorje Drolo. He is a wrathful manifestation of Padmasambhava and shows how Padmasambhava eliminated obstacles on his path to establishing Buddhism in Tibet.

Kaululaau, Kai Ana Makanoe Kaikaulaokaweilaha. “Vajra.” Buddhism and Jainism, 1290–92. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0852-2_393.

This reference entry defines a vajra scepter and contextualizes its importance in history and Buddhism. This object is important for reaching enlightenment and signifies that transformative experience that is associated with reaching this “awakening.” The main figure in the print is holding a vajra in his right hand and this is a defining iconographic symbol in Tibetan art. He is holding it to show how he aids in attaining enlightenment for worshippers. 

Pratapaditya, Pal. The Art of Tibet. The Asia Society, Inc., 1969.

This book provides insight into the unique nature of Tibetan art relating to the Bon, an Indigenous Society that Guru Rinpoche drew from when he brought Buddhism to the area. By connecting the imagery to the Bon, the artwork’s Tibetan origins are justified, eliciting the piece’s overall meaning. This source also contains information on tankas in Tibetan art. Considering this print is a tanka, this information explains the work’s complex symbolism and details through a Tibetan style lens.

Santina, Peter Della. “The Development and Symbolism of Tibetan Buddhist Art andIconography.” Project Himalayan Art, Rubin Museum of Art, 2024.

Within this source, there are descriptions of Tibetan Buddhism related to art, including how iconography in Tibetan art developed over time. In particular, this source details monks’ roles in transporting art, explaining how monks often carried small art pieces with them while they spread the Dharma, or universal truths of the Buddha. Through this information, it is possible to decipher the symbolism of the monks in the print and the overall role of this artwork in ritual. By visualizing themselves in the print, monks could continue toward enlightenment, drawing inspiration from this imagery on their travels.

Trinlé, Dungkar L., and Tsering D. Gonkatsang. “Tibetan Woodblock Printing: An Ancient Artand Craft,” Himalaya 36, no. 1 (2020). https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol36/iss1/17?utm_source=digitalcommons.macalester.edu%2Fhimalaya%2Fvol36%2Fiss1%2F17&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages.

This journal article discusses Tibetan woodblock printing, including how printing started and became popular throughout the 15th century. The rise of printing helped mass produce images and text and allowed wide-spread access for art and books. The artwork depicted here is a print, which allowed many people to have a copy for their homes or to carry around. This helped spread the ideas in the artwork and remind worshippers that Dorje Drolo will remove obstacles on their way to reaching enlightenment. 

  1. Samuel Geoffrey and Jamyang Oliphant, About Padmasambhava: Historical Narratives and Later Transformations of Guru Rinpoche (Garuda Verlag, 2020), 8.  ↩︎
  2. Geoffrey and Oliphant, About Padmasambhava, 51.  ↩︎
  3. Kai Ana Makanoe Kaikaulaokaweilaha Kaululaau, “Vajra,” Buddhism and Jainism, 1290–92, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0852-2_393. ↩︎
  4. Robert Beer. The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols (Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2003), 100. ↩︎
  5. Beer, The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols, 64 ↩︎
  6.  Beer, The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols, 65. ↩︎
  7. Beer, The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols, 65. ↩︎
  8. Pal Pratapaditya, The Art of Tibet (The Asia Society, Inc., 1969), 18. ↩︎
  9.  Beer, The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols, 227. ↩︎
  10. Pratapaditya, The Art of Tibet, 44. ↩︎
  11. Dungkar L. Trinlé and Tsering D. Gonkatsang, “Tibetan Woodblock Printing: An Ancient Art and Craft,” Himalaya 38, no. 2 (2020), https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol36/iss1/17?utm_source=digitalcommons.macalester.edu%2Fhimalaya%2Fvol36%2Fiss1%2F17&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages. ↩︎
  12. Pratapaditya, The Art of Tibet, 30. ↩︎
  13. Pratapaditya, The Art of Tibet, 30. ↩︎
  14. Peter Della Santina, “The Development and Symbolism of Tibetan Buddhist Art and Iconography,” Rubin Museum of Art, 2024, https://www.himalayanart.org/pages/peter_della_santina/development_pdsantina.html.  ↩︎