Tshar (Sakya) tradition, pigment with a water soluble binding agent on fabric, gold paint, 65.5 x 46.5 cm, with brocade frame 117.5 x 73 cm, (Hr) We are grateful to Dipl. Ing. Uwe Niebuhr, BA MA for his assistance in cataloguing this work.

This extremely rare thangka features Tsarchen Losal Gyatso (Tib. tshar chen blo gsal rgya mtsho). He was born in 1502 and died in 1566. Tsarchen Losal Gyatso is the founder of the Tshar tradition, one of the three branches of the Sakya School, which is part of Tibetan Buddhism. The Sakya School was founded as early as the 12th century by the following five scholars, each of whom contributed to its further development: Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, Sonam Tsemo, Dragpa Gyaltsen, Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyaltsen and Chogyal Pagpa.

By the 16th century, three branches of the Sakya School emerged, which still strictly follow the teachings of Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyaltsen: the Sakyapa, the Ngorpa and the Tsharpa. Tsarchen Losal Gyatso was significantly involved. He founded not only the Tsharpa branch, but also Dar Drangmoche Monastery (Tib. 'dar grang mo che) in Lhatse County in the central Tibetan province of Tsang. The monastery is located about 60 km northwest of Sakya.

Some of the original texts written by Tsarchen Losal Gyatso have survived to this day, such as his compositions concerning Hevajra visualisation and the Vajrayoginī teachings. One of his most most influential disciples was Jamyang Khyentse Wangchuk (Tib. 'jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i dbang phyug), who became an important Sakya master and distinguished himself as a revealer of Termas. Another influential pupil of Tsarchen Losal Gyatso was Mangtö Ludrup Gyatso (Tib. mang thos klu sgrub rgya mtsho), an important master of the Lamdre Lobshe tradition. His critique of the Mahāmudrā teachings of Pema Karpo (1527-1592) constitute important commentaries for Tibetan Buddhism. Both disciples also continued to cultivate the Tsharpa tradition.

The present thangka depicts Tsarchen Losal Gyatso sitting on a lion throne in the centre of the image, with a moustache and raised eyebrows. He wears the characteristic hat of the Sakya School, with two crossing yellow stripes. The master is clad in silk robes, wears large gold earrings and a long black prayer cord wrapped around his body. Tsarchen Losal Gyatso holds a diamond sceptre (Skt. vajra) in his right hand before his chest, and a skull bowl in his left hand (Skt. kapāla, Tib. thod pa). A Tantrist staff (Skt. khaṭvāṅga) leans against his left shoulder. His sumptuously decorated lion throne is topped by a jewel, two angry dragons rise on either side of his green halo. In front of the throne is a table with the master’s utensils, and monks and laymen proffer a variety of gifts before it.

Several deities and pioneers of the Sakya tradition are depicted above Tsarchen Losal Gyatso, embedded in clouds and flanked by rainbows. The blue Buddha Vajradhara (Tib. rdo rje 'chang) hovers in the middle and, directly below him, Mañjuśrī (Tib. 'jam dpal) with sword, and possibly the white Buddha Amitāyus, which is not clearly discernible.

On either side, two clouds contain the main figures and founders of the Sakya tradition: on the top left is Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158, Tib. sa chen kun dga' snying po), first Sakya throne-holder and founder of Sakya Monastery; on the right hand of the composition, at the same level, his son Dragpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216, Tib. grags pa rgyal mtshan). Under the latter, Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251, Tib. sa skya pan di ta kun dga' rgyal mtshan) is depicted sitting on the clouds at the centre. His hands form the teaching gesture and he wears a red pandit hat.

Next to Tsarchen Losal Gyatso on his lion throne sit his two aforementioned main disciples: to his right is Mangtö Ludrup Gyatso, to his left Jamyang Khyentse Wangchuk. Both without headdress. The lower third of the thangka also features twelve lamas. In the middle of the group is the angry, blue Pañjaranatha Mahākāla (Tib. gur gyi mgon po), the tutelary god of the Hevajra Tantras.

The present thangka of Tsarchen Losal Gyatso is of exceptionally good quality. A comparable depiction of this master with a total of 29 scholars of the Sakya School is unknown in specialist literature, which underlines its uniqueness. The thangka is in its original silk frame. A religious mantra adorns the centre of its back. A further Tibetan inscription reading "Gye Gyatso Tsarchen" (Tib. rgyas rgya mtshos tshar chen) along the upper margin clearly identifies the main figure of the thangka as Tsarchen Losal Gyatso.