The Buddhist guardian Gonpo

This thangka depicts Gonpo, a form of Mahakala (“Great Time”) specific to the Nyingma (Ancient) order of Himalayan Buddhism. Gonpo stands on a sun disk on top of a lotus pedestal, stepping on two figures representing the human ego. In his right hand, Gonpo brandishes a phurba, a triangular knife used to pin down negative forces. In his left, he holds a skull cup. Together, they symbolize conjoined compassion and wisdom.

The artist Lama Pema’s personal history reveals the close connection between meditation and art in Himalayan Buddhism. He began his studies of Buddhist philosophy at age six. He also studied with a painting master and a “treasure finder” who recovered ancient teachings purportedly hidden by Guru Padmasambhava in the eighth century. In this way, he established a living connection between the ancient wisdom of the Nyingma lineage and our own twenty-first century.