According to the Tibetan calendar, today is the 10th day of the 1st lunar month. The 10th day, or tsechu, of every month is reserved for the reverence of teachers and gurus.
Tibetan Buddhists celebrate tsechu by worshipping Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche (Precious Teacher), who played a pivotal role in transmitting Buddhism from India to Tibet in the eighth century CE.
Iconographically, Padmasambhava is said to manifest in eight different forms, and each monthly tsechu commemorates one of these manifestations. In this spectacular thangka (scroll painting) from our collection, Guru Rinpoche appears in the center surrounded by his eight manifestations and narrative scenes from his life story.
These examples remind us that teachers can appear in many forms and wisdom can be found in unconventional places. What unexpected teachers or teachings have you uncovered in this tsechu?
🔎 Stay tuned: we’ll be taking a closer look at this painting later in March as part of our "H...
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