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Ati¿a
Collection:
Central Institute of Buddhist
Studies,
Choglamsar, Leh (Ladakh)
School
of art: Sman-bris
20th
century
Ati¿a
In
the 10th century AD. Ati¿a took birth as a prince in Bengal. He became
eminent as a learned Buddhist master in the Monastic University of Vikrama¿il¡.
He realised that the bodhicitta is the main stem to blossom the flower of
perfect elightenment. He voyaged through the sea to Suvar¸adv¢pa to
receive secret instructions on bodhicitta from the guru (spiritual
teacher) in Suvar¸adv¢pa. He cultivated bodhicitta and reintroduced it
in India.
On
the humble request of the king of western Tibet, he visited Tibet. During
that period, the meaning of the Tantra was misconstrued and the Vinaya
principles were endangered. Conflict among the followers prevailed. The
followers of the Vinaya opposed Tantra and vice versa. They conceded that
no one can practise the Vinaya and Tantra together. The king requested him
to rectify the faults that were infused into the Buddha's teachings. In
order to do that he composed a book entitled Patha-pradipa which
represented the heart of the Buddha' s words combining the vast
instructions given by Maitreya to Asanga along with the profound legacy
transmitted by Maµju¿r¢ to N¡g¡rjuna. In this way he founded the
Kadampa sect and disseminated the pure and stainless teachings of both the
Sutra and Tantra.
The
central figure is ¡ch¡rya Ati¿a who is surrounded by different
portrayals which depict that Ati¿a Is preaching Buddhistic doctrines to
his disciples.
