After many years of hard work and through the generosity of students, the 19 lineage thangkas of the successive births of Terchen Barway Dorje are now beautifully displayed in the main shrine room at Kunzang Palchen Ling. Although Barway Dorje has taken an inconceivable number of births, these 19 thangkas depict many of the most significant lives of Barway Dorje, which are mentioned in the Barway Dorje guru yoga prayer to the successive lives of Barway Dorje beginning with Manjushri; Marutse, a bodhisattva who lived during the time of Buddha Shakyamuni; Manjushrimitra in India; Nupchen Sangye Yeshe, who was one of the 25 disciples of Guru Rinpoche in Tibet; Naropa; Gya Lotsawa; Milarepa; Gya Shangtrom; Choje Sonam Zangpo, and many Surmang tulkus.
This project was especially precious for Bardor Rinpoche as it is the first time that a complete set of thangkas of the Terchen Barway Dorje lineage was created. The thangka paintings themselves were completed in 2019 and it took several years to complete mounting them on decorative brocades. A book containing images of the individual thangkas and explanation will eventually be published. Lama Tashi Topgyal explains that these thangkas are a profound support for students’ faith and devotion because they demonstrate the vastness of our teacher Barway Dorje. These thangkas have the power of liberation through seeing and the ability to purify the obscurations of those who encounter them with faith. We invite everyone to visit KPL and experience these thangkas.
