Lords of Purification – 35 Confessional Buddhas
35 Confessional Buddhas (Main figures)
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(Top to bottom): 35 Confessional Buddhas and Dorje Shugden
Deities: 35 Confessional Buddhas
Alternative name: Sheg Lha So Nga (Tibetan)
The 35 Confessional Buddhas were first mentioned within ‘The Sutra of the Three Heaps’ which is known in Sanskrit as the Triskhandhadharmasutra, or briefly the Triskandha Sutra. This treatise is a ritual text recited primarily by monks and nuns as well as the laity, as a confessional practice of moral downfalls and the purification of heavy negative karma. The depiction of the 35 Confessional Buddhas includes Buddha Shakyamuni and the rest are mainly classified under the Five Dhyani Buddha families.
There are three basic systems of depicting the Confessional Buddhas and they are:
- The Gestures Only (Without Hand Attributes) – Sakya, Jonang and some other traditions
- Nagarjuna System (With Hand Attributes) – Nyingma, Kagyu and some Gelug traditions; and lastly,
- The Je Tsongkhapa System (With Some Hand Attributes) – Gelug and Karma Kagyu tradition.
This thangka adheres to the Nagarjuna System. Of the 35 Buddhas depicted here, only two of these Buddhas are worshipped separately from the larger group. They are Buddha Shakyamuni and the Buddha Nageshvaraja (as he appears in the Tsongkhapa system).
Deity: Dorje Shugden (Tibetan)
Alternative name: Vajra Rudra (Sanskrit)
Dorje Shugden is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. He took the form of a Dharma Protector in order to safeguard the Buddha’s teachings, especially the important teachings on the Middle Way View. Reminiscent of Manjushri’s form, Dorje Shugden carries a meandering sword and rides a snowlion that represents the fearlessness of a fully enlightened Buddha. Thus, he has great strength to overcome obstacles of the body, speech and mind, and create suitable conditions for our spiritual practice to flourish. Furthermore, he carries a jewel-spitting mongoose and a vajra hook to symbolise that he has the tremendous ability to bestow wealth and resources.
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Beautiful art painting of 35 Confessional Buddhas and Dorje Shugden. The 35 Confessional Buddhas practice is a critical practice to purifying heavy negative karma for all Budhhist practitioners. Without a peaceful mind free of stresses, afflictions and confused thoughts, we will not able to make progress in our spiritual path. Here in this beautiful thangka the 35 Confessional Buddhas is depicted together Dorje Shugden is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.