Pastel on paper

37 x 13.5 inches (sheet)

009

In Tibetan painting a Bodhisattva is often shown on each side of the Buddha. Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit term meaning a being of enlightenment (bodhi) who has put off ascending to nirvana because he or she has taken a vow to stay with the people of earth until all have made their ascensions. In Mahayana Buddhism, becoming a Bodhisattva is the goal of the path. The path of the Bodhisattva is generally divided into ten stages, called bhumis. The Bodhisattva strives to progress from one stage to the next until he obtains enlightenment. This work is based on a 13th c. Tibetan Buddhist painting.