Padmasambhava

Glossary

A Tantric master in Vajrayana Buddhism considered to have disseminated Vajrayana in Tibet between c. eighth and ninth centuries CE. Some early Tibetan sources also highlight his role in building the Samye monastery. Modern Tibetan Buddhist thought also considers him a Buddha. He is depicted with a youthful appearance, wearing a five-petalled lotus hat, red and blue robes and a red monastic shawl decorated with a golden flower pattern and golden brocade. His right hand holds a five point vajra (weapon) while his left hand holds a three-pointed khatvanga (trident). He is frequently depicted in Cham dances from Tibet and Bhutan. From the Sanskrit word padmasambhava, meaning “born from a lotus.”

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Pre-Modern Art

Chicago	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. “Padmasambhava”. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/padmasambhava/
MLA	“Padmasambhava.” MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/padmasambhava/. Accessed 27, April, 2024.
Harvard	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. (2022) Padmasambhava. [Online]. Available at: https://mapacademy.io/glossary/padmasambhava/. (Accessed: 27, April, 2024)