To contact me - Per contattarmi
kristinblancke@gmail.com
Kuntuzangpo and Kuntuzangmo, personification of mind's nature at the moment of death.
(click to enlarge image)
LAMAYURU (LADAKH) – CHENREZIK LHAKHANG
A Mural Painting representing the different phases of the intermediate state (the bardo)
as explained in The Tibetan Book of The Dead
Five peaceful deities with their consorts appearing during the bardo.
Article by Kristin Blancke in ‘Art and Architecture of Ladakh’, E. Lo Bue and J. Bray ed.,
Brill’s Tibetan Study Library Vol. 35, 2014, pp. 274-298 - ISBN 978-90-04-27178-4
This article describes a mural painting that covers an entire wall in the Chenrezik Lhakhang in Lamayuru, Ladakh. The painting illustrates all the different phases deceased persons experience from the moment of their death until they take up a new body. The mural painting shows visions of pure, very bright, peaceful and wrathful deities that appear one after the other. If the deceased recognises these visions, he will be liberated. If not, he will be dragged on and experience other visions that become more and more frightful. Ultimately, he will want to flee and reincarnate into one of the places represented, each corresponding to a different existential realm.
This mural painting is unique because, to my knowledge, it is the only one that illustrates all the phases of the bardo (the intermediate states).
To contact me - Per contattarmi
kristinblancke@gmail.com