Material: Samantabhadra Tathagata, brocade embroidered cloth frame thangka

Size: about 61x 85 cm

Description:

**The influence and status of Samantabhadra Tathagata in Tibetan Buddhism**

Samantabhadra Tathagata (Sanskrit: Samantabhadrarāja Tathāgata, Tibetan: Kuntuzangpo), also known as Dharmakaya Samantabhadra, Adharma Buddha or Primordial Buddha, is an extremely important deity in the Nyingma School and Bon Religion of Tibetan Buddhism. He has a high status and is regarded as the highest Buddha of faith in the Vajrayana and the Wheel of Time. He is considered to be the first Buddha in the universe, symbolizing the pure Buddha nature or Tathagatagarbha within all sentient beings. He is a Dharmakaya Buddha, representing the ultimate reality and original enlightenment (fundamental enlightenment). Vajradhara is his Sambhogakaya Buddha, and Vajrasattva is his Nirmanakaya Buddha, showing the integrity of his three bodies (Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya).

In the Nyingma school, Samantabhadra is regarded as the source of Dzogchen, which is considered the most profound teaching in Tibetan Buddhism. It aims to allow practitioners to directly realize the nature of their own mind and achieve complete enlightenment. It is said that Dzogchen was taught by Samantabhadra, passed through the Sambhogakaya Buddha Vajrasattva, and then introduced to Tibet by Guru Padmasambhava. Nyingma emphasizes that Samantabhadra's teachings transcend all dualistic distinctions and point directly to the original enlightenment, so he has a core position in the Nyingma practice system. The "Prayer to Samantabhadra" is an important scripture. It is said that reciting this text can calm the imbalance of the four elements, which is ultimately a shortcut to becoming a Buddha, showing its great blessing power.

Compared with Nyingma, other Tibetan Buddhist sects (such as Gelug, Sakya, and Kagyu) rarely practice Samantabhadra, indicating that its influence is mainly concentrated in Nyingma and Bon. Bon religion regards Samantabhadrī as the original Buddha, "Benggu Gunde Sangpo" (Dharmakaya Samantabhadra), and integrates local beliefs to strengthen its unique position in Tibetan religious culture. In addition, Samantabhadrī is the highest Buddha in the Kalachakra, which is closely related to the emphasis on cosmic harmony and the cycle of time in its teachings.

Samantabhadrī is often seen in a union with his consort Samantabhadrī, symbolizing wisdom and compassion, the unity of yin and yang, and embodying the concept of dual cultivation in Tantric Buddhism. This image appears in thangkas in the form of a blue naked body with a high bun, similar to the Hindu god Shiva, reflecting the characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism absorbing Hindu elements.

**Mythology and Origin**

The myth of Samantabhadrī mainly comes from the inheritance of the Nyingma school and Bon religion, emphasizing his role as the origin of the universe as the original Buddha. According to the legend of the Nyingma school, Samantabhadrī is the Dharmakaya Buddha, transcending time and space, without beginning or end, and represents the origin of all Buddhas. He is the first Buddha in the universe, appearing naturally from the void without any external force, symbolizing the pure Buddha nature inherent in all living beings.

In the tradition of the "Prayer to Samantabhadra Tathagata", the teachings of Samantabhadra Tathagata were passed from the void to Uddiyana, from Vajrasattva to the human guru Garab Dorje, and then through Manjusri and Shri Singha to Guru Padmasambhava, and then to Tibet. This tradition is regarded as the source of the Great Perfection Dharma, emphasizing that Samantabhadra Tathagata, as the manifestation of the original enlightenment, directly teaches the method of realizing the nature of one's own mind.

The Bon religion legend integrates Samantabhadra Tathagata with local beliefs, believing that he is "Beng Gu Gunde Sangpo", which means "Dharmakaya Samantabhadra", representing eternal wisdom and compassion. In the cosmology of Bon religion, Samantabhadra is a symbol of creation and purity. Its image and teachings absorb elements of Tibetan primitive religion, such as the blue body and the image of union, which shows the connection with Bon gods.

The similarity between Samantabhadra and the Hindu god Shiva reflects the influence of the Hindu Shaktism and Tantric elements absorbed by Tibetan Buddhism during its formation. His union with Samantabhadra symbolizes the unity of emptiness and manifestation, and embodies the Tantric philosophy of dualistic transcendence.

**Summary**

Samantabhadra has a high status in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religion. He is the source of the original Buddha and the Great Perfection, and symbolizes the pure Buddha nature inherent in all beings. Its influence is mainly concentrated in the Nyingma school, which guides practitioners to realize the original enlightenment through the "Prayer to Samantabhadra" and the Great Perfection teachings. His mythological story emphasizes the origin of the universe and the endlessness of the Dharmakaya Buddha, and combines elements of Hinduism and Bon religion to form a unique Tantric image and philosophical connotation.