Thangka's Information and Its Sources

Many senior brothers want me to introduce the origin of Thangka. Here I tell you a story about getting Thangka. I am engaged in surveying and mapping. At that time, I often worked in Tibetan areas. Ten years ago, we were in Xinluhai, Ganzi, Sichuan. Princess Gesar is engaged in surveying and mapping in the Soul Sending Lake in Zhu Mu. I found a Lama running to us for help not far away. Although I don't know Tibetan, I can see the trouble from his anxious expression. So I followed him to the wooden house where he practiced, and found an old Lama lying in the room, clutching his chest and groaning in pain. I knew at once that it might be a heart attack, because I saw an empty bottle of quick-acting pills next to him. So I went back to the station and took me with me. The medicine we provide is brought by working in the plateau for a long time, and the medicine for lowering blood pressure and treating cold and cough is our essential equipment. I gave my medicine to the old Lama and a bottle of hot water. Slowly, the Lama's face improved.

We did surveying and mapping there for a week at that time. Through colleagues who know Tibetan, I learned that Lama is a white jade man. He also has an uncle who is a painter of Dege Seal College, specializing in painting Thangka. He received the news of his uncle's death and brought a waiter to Dege to collect his belongings. His uncle is also a successful man. He gave him all the Thangka paintings he had painted before his death, as many as 180. The Lama came back from Dege's funeral and wanted to retreat here for a period of time. No, thinking that he didn't take enough drugs for heart disease in advance, he said that if he hadn't met me, he might not have survived that day. The Lama was very excited and said that I was the messenger of the Bodhisattva. His benefactor also offered to thank me for half of his possessions according to Tibetan customs. He said he had no money, but his uncle drew Thangka and asked me to take 90. I told Lama that I wouldn't change anyone, and I would help him when this happened. Besides, I didn't save him for money. At this time, the Lama waiter also advised me to accept it. I still refused. At this time, the kind Lama got angry and said I didn't want it, so I had to accept the 90-year-old Zhang Zhengui Thangka.

Lama saw that I accepted it, and my colleagues who know Tibetan told me that these are priceless treasures, so let me cherish the raw materials for painting these thangkas. All of them have been carefully polished and made from precious jewels such as gold, silver, pearls, corals, turquoise, agate and Tibetan medicine. Sometimes it takes half a month or more to draw a Thangka, and the Lama carefully selects 30 pictures to tell me. His uncle's waiter said that these were all blessed by Master Lian or Guanyin Bodhisattva and Manjusri Bodhisattva. It caused a sensation in Dege at that time. Older people should still remember.

Through translation, the Lama told me some basic knowledge of Buddhism, and then when I got familiar with it, I knew the current guru and really went to learn Buddhism.