Tsiu Marpo Thangka Brocade,The Dharma Protector,Tibetan Buddhist Tapestry Wall Hanging,Gandhanra Thangka Art

All our crafts are directly handmade from Tibet. When you purchase this craft it helps and support the artisan and their families in Tibet. Your support is highly appreciated. ❤DESCRIPTION Tsiu Marpo – the Enlightened Demon The Dharma Protector (Sanskrit: Dharmapala) called Tsiu Marpo is an ancient Buddhist deity. His story stems from over a thousand years ago during the time of Padmasambhava, the “lotus born”, who is also known as Guru Rinpoche. Padmasambhava was a great Indian tantric master invited to Tibet by King Trisong Detsen, to subdue negative forces obstructing the proliferation of the Buddhist teachings by the great Shantarakshita. Shantarakshita, the abbot of India’s famed Nalanda Buddhist University, was commissioned by the king not only to translate scores of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, but also to ordain the first community of monks in the country, thereby firmly establishing Buddhism in Tibet. Unfortunately, he was plagued by negative forces, local deities and spirits who opposed the spread of Buddhism for their own selfish ends. Shantarakshita advised the king to invite Padmasambhava who, by engaging in spiritual warfare, won and bound these entities never to harm again and to only assist sincere Dharma practitioners on their spiritual path instead. One such being was Tsiu Marpo, who was installed as one of the Protectors of Samye Monastery, the first Buddhist monastic institution founded by Shantarakshita and King Trisong Detsen. Tsiu Marpo, commonly recognised as a worldly Protector, is the head of the Seven Wild Tsen Brothers, as mentioned in the story above. They are also known as the Seven Blazing Brothers. His practice was popularised by the Nyingma teacher Ngari Panchen Pema Wangyal (1487-1542 CE). Tsiu Marpo is very much practised within the Nyingma lineage up till the present day. You can see his depiction in many Nyingma temples, but his practice has also spread to all major schools of Tibetan Buddhism in one form or another. ❤Details Material: cloth, silk, gold