Category: Master

Here is another series of pictures of Gautama Buddha's life:

Buddha Shakyamuni II

Every Buddha's highest Nirmanakaya, like Buddha Shakyamuni, does 12 deeds (Skt. Dvadaśabuddhakārya; Tib. མཛད་ པ་ བཅུ་གཉིས་, dzepa chunyi, Wyl. mdzad pa bcu gnyisThese are:

1. 1. the descent from Tushita, the Joyous pure land (dga' ldan gyi gnas nas 'pho ba),
2. entering the mother’s womb (lhums su zhugs pa), (lhums su zhugs pa)
3. taking birth (sku bltams pa), (sku bltams pa)
4. becoming skilled in various arts (bzo yi gnas la mkhas pa), (bzo yi gnas la mkhas pa)
5. delighting in the company of royal consorts (btsun mo'i 'khor dgyes rol ba), (btsun mo’i ‘khor dgyes rol ba)
6. developing renunciation and becoming ordained (rab tu byung ba), (rab tu byung ba)
7. practicing austerities for six years (dka' ba spyad pa), (dka’ ba spyad pa)
8. proceeding to the foot of the bodhi tree (byang chub snying por gshegs pa), (byang chub snying por gshegs pa)
9. overcoming Mara’s hosts (bdud btul ba), (bdud btul ba)
10. becoming fully enlightened (mngon par rdzogs par sangs rgyas pa), (mngon par rdzogs par sangs rgyas pa)
11. turning the wheel of Dharma (chos kyi 'khor lo bskor ba), and (chos kyi ‘khor lo bskor ba), og
12. passing into mahaparinirvana [2] (mya ngan las 'das pa) (mya ngan las ‘das pa).

These 12 Deeds are pictured in the following 9 thangkas:

Buddha's 12 Deeds

Here you can see a beautiful series of pictures showing the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, or Shakyamuni Buddha's life:

Shakyamuni Buddha