Explore 25 entries on buddhas, bodhisattvas, female enlightened figures, Vajrayana deities and Dharma protectors. Browse the categories for identities, historical art and introductory learning guidance. Practice resources primarily follow Gelug-related sources; the art is not a set of lineage-specific visualization instructions.
Buddhas
Bodhisattvas
Taras and female enlightened figures
Vajrayana deities
Dharma protectors
Shakyamuni Buddha
Buddha · Historical teacher
Identity and meaning
Shakyamuni is the historical teacher of Buddhism. The Four Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold Path and training in ethics, meditation and wisdom offer starting points.
Understanding the image
The earth-touching gesture recalls the Buddhist account of calling the earth to witness before awakening.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin with his life and basic teachings; practise non-harming, truthful speech and awareness. Public praises provide a starting point for respectful recitation and dedication.
Amitabha
Buddha · Infinite Light
Identity and meaning
Amitabha is associated with the western pure land of Sukhavati. Prayers and practices relating to him also occur in Tibetan Buddhism.
Understanding the image
Amitabha appears centrally with Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta. This Korean painting illustrates Buddhist art across regions.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Respectful name recitation, Sukhavati texts and aspiration prayers offer an introduction. Dedicated practices such as transference of consciousness require their own lineage instruction.
Amitayus
Buddha · Longevity prayers
Identity and meaning
Amitayus is closely related to Amitabha and is prominent in Tibetan longevity practices. Their names and iconographic contexts deserve distinction.
Understanding the image
Hands resting in meditation and a longevity vase are characteristic attributes of this form.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Study longevity prayers with the wish to use one’s life for learning and helping others. Confirm the requirements and commitments of a specific longevity practice.
Medicine Buddha
Buddha · Healing aspirations
Identity and meaning
Bhaishajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha, is associated with aspirations to relieve suffering and deprivation.
Understanding the image
This Chinese mural depicts an assembly with Medicine Buddha, the Sunlight and Moonlight bodhisattvas, and guardians. It is not a Tibetan blue-body visualization diagram.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin with the Medicine Buddha sutra, his name and aspiration prayers, alongside practical care for people who are ill. Gelug-related texts are linked on this site; prayer does not replace medical care.
Vairocana
Buddha · One of the Five Buddhas
Identity and meaning
Vairocana, often rendered “Illuminator,” occupies an important place in several Buddhist scriptures and mandala systems. Forms vary by text and tradition.
Understanding the image
This image belongs to a historical ritual crown. A single panel does not establish the arrangement of a complete mandala.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin with introductory teachings on the Five Buddhas and buddhahood. Specific tantric rites require instruction within the relevant lineage.
Akshobhya
Buddha · One of the Five Buddhas
Identity and meaning
Akshobhya, the Immovable One, is known in Tibetan as Mitrugpa. His symbolism includes transforming aggression into wisdom.
Understanding the image
The blue figure and vajra before the throne identify Akshobhya here. An earth-touching gesture alone does not identify every Buddha image.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Reflect on anger and practise patience. Public recitation and a full sadhana have different requirements; the FPMT long sadhana explicitly requires the appropriate empowerment.
Ratnasambhava
Buddha · One of the Five Buddhas
Identity and meaning
Ratnasambhava is one of the Five Buddhas. His name means “Jewel-Born,” and he is associated with the jewel family and themes of generosity and equality.
Understanding the image
The image is from a historical initiation-card set and depicts a particular ritual form. It serves as art and identification material, not a Gelug practice diagram.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Study generosity and equality; work on pride and respect for others. Five-Buddha visualizations, gestures and mandala practice follow the appropriate empowerment and instruction.
Amoghasiddhi
Buddha · One of the Five Buddhas
Identity and meaning
Amoghasiddhi is one of the Five Buddhas, associated with the north in a common arrangement. His name expresses unfailing accomplishment.
Understanding the image
The green figure and gesture of reassurance distinguish Amoghasiddhi in this painting, surrounded by bodhisattvas.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin with perseverance in beneficial action, reducing envy and rejoicing in others’ progress. Do not construct a deity practice from an image alone.
Vajradhara
Buddha · Vajrayana symbolism
Identity and meaning
Vajradhara represents complete awakening and the source of tantric transmission in Vajrayana. He should be distinguished from Vajrapani and Vajrasattva.
Understanding the image
Crossed hands holding vajra and bell express the union of method and wisdom.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Establish a foundation in the stages of the path, bodhicitta and understanding emptiness. Guru yoga and tantric visualization follow qualified instruction and the relevant requirements.
Avalokiteshvara
Bodhisattva · Compassion
Identity and meaning
Avalokiteshvara, known as Chenrezig in Tibetan, embodies compassion and concern for others.
Understanding the image
This standing sculpture depicts Padmapani, the Lotus Bearer, one form of Avalokiteshvara. It is not a four-armed representation. The lotus is an important identifying attribute.
Introductory study and practice guidance
For everyday reflection, begin with the intention to benefit others, respectfully recite Avalokiteshvara’s name, and express compassion through patience, non-harming and helpful action. Follow lineage instruction for a full deity practice and its visualizations.
Manjushri
Bodhisattva · Wisdom
Identity and meaning
Manjushri represents wisdom in Buddhism; his name is also rendered in Chinese as Miaojixiang.
Understanding the image
The sword evokes cutting through ignorance, while the manuscript represents wisdom teachings. This historical Indian sculpture illustrates those attributes.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin with study and reflection: read a short reliable passage, consider its meaning and note questions. You may respectfully recite Manjushri’s name and dedicate the practice to wisdom and others’ welfare. Follow a teacher’s instructions for deity visualization.
Maitreya
Bodhisattva · Future Buddha
Identity and meaning
Maitreya is the bodhisattva understood in Buddhist tradition as a future Buddha. Tibetan representations commonly show a princely bodhisattva rather than the East Asian Budai figure.
Understanding the image
The remnant of a water vessel in the left hand is an identifying attribute in the museum’s record.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Cultivate loving-kindness and altruistic aspirations, and explore Maitreya prayers. Choose a reliable introductory course when studying associated treatises.
Kshitigarbha
Bodhisattva · Compassionate vows
Identity and meaning
Kshitigarbha is revered for compassionate vows to aid suffering beings. Tibetan traditions also preserve praises and dharani practices.
Understanding the image
This East Asian depiction shows Kshitigarbha as a monk with a staff and wish-fulfilling jewel.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Respectful name recitation, scriptural study and care for people in distress provide a starting point. The linked FPMT text permits anyone to practise it; read its own instructions.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva · Vast aspirations
Identity and meaning
This entry concerns the Mahayana bodhisattva Samantabhadra and his vast aspirations, distinct from the primordial Buddha bearing the same Sanskrit name in other contexts.
Understanding the image
An elephant mount is characteristic of many East Asian depictions of this bodhisattva.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Study homage, offering, confession, rejoicing and dedication in Samantabhadra’s aspirations. The King of Prayers is also widely recited in Gelug practice.
Vajrapani
Bodhisattva · Awakened power
Identity and meaning
Vajrapani, the Vajra Holder, embodies the power that supports and protects the Dharma. Peaceful and wrathful forms occur.
Understanding the image
This historical Indian bodhisattva image is not the wrathful form used in every Vajrapani practice.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Cultivate perseverance, courage to correct mistakes and protection of beneficial action. Confirm lineage requirements for wrathful-deity visualization and ritual practice.
Tara
Tara · Compassionate assistance
Identity and meaning
Tara is revered as a saviour in Tibetan Buddhism. Tara practices occur in several traditions; this site’s current practice-text selection uses Gelug-related sources.
Understanding the image
In this sculpture, the right hand grants boons and the left forms a teaching gesture. The museum identifies it simply as Tara; it is not labelled here as the visualization image for a particular Green or White Tara liturgy.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin by reading the Praises to the Twenty-One Taras and reflecting on their meaning. Specific liturgies, including the Four Mandala Offerings, have their own requirements; follow the text and your teacher’s guidance.
Green Tara
Female enlightened figure · Compassionate activity
Identity and meaning
Green Tara is a prominent form of Tara associated with swift compassionate activity, presented separately from the general Tara entry and White Tara.
Understanding the image
The museum explicitly identifies this sculpture as Green Tara. Colour in a metal sculpture or monochrome photograph is not sufficient for identification.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin with the Praises to the Twenty-One Taras and compassionate aspirations. The site links Chinese praises; complete rituals such as the four-mandala offering have their own requirements.
White Tara
Female enlightened figure · Longevity prayers
Identity and meaning
White Tara is one of the three longevity deities, alongside Amitayus and Ushnishavijaya. Longevity aspirations can be directed toward using life for learning and benefiting others.
Understanding the image
This painting includes both White and Green Tara. The entire composition is not a single-deity image; identify details in their particular context.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Explore longevity aspirations and White Tara praises. FPMT provides short teachings and texts; follow their conditions for full visualization or self-generation.
Ushnishavijaya (Namgyalma)
Female enlightened figure · Longevity and purification
Identity and meaning
Ushnishavijaya, known in Tibetan as Namgyalma, is one of the three longevity deities and is associated with the Ushnishavijaya dharani.
Understanding the image
Three faces and eight arms are a common form. The attributes of this sculpture should be read with its specific record and ritual context.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin with public explanations of the dharani and purification. A particular FPMT sadhana requires subsequent permission based on a great initiation; access to a mantra does not establish eligibility for every ritual.
Vajrasattva
Vajrayana · Purification deity
Identity and meaning
Vajrasattva is central to Vajrayana purification practice. Introductory study should emphasize acknowledgement and change, not recitation counts alone.
Understanding the image
This is a historical standing image, not a universal illustration for every seated, solitary or consort form.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Study the four opponent powers: reliance, regret, remedy and resolve. FPMT offers an introductory version without initiation; self-generation and consort visualization have separate requirements.
Hayagriva
Vajrayana · Wrathful deity
Identity and meaning
Hayagriva has different lineages and forms in Tibetan Buddhism. The site’s Most Secret Hayagriva request and mantra is a Gelug-related resource, not a complete sadhana.
Understanding the image
This historical ritual-card form should not be treated as the visualization image for the Most Secret Hayagriva text.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Check the source and conditions of the chosen text. A request, public mantra and complete deity sadhana are distinct; full practice follows the relevant empowerment, transmission and instruction.
Six-Armed Mahakala
Dharma protector
Identity and meaning
Mahakala appears in several forms. The six-armed form is among the protectors found in Gelug practice; liturgies for different forms should not be treated as interchangeable.
Understanding the image
Within Buddhist symbolism, wrathful imagery expresses the force of overcoming obstacles to practice; it does not encourage anger or harm toward others. The image is a historical six-armed representation.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Start by learning the protector’s place in the lineage and reading the instructions for public praises. FPMT’s Protector Prayers includes a praise to Six-Armed Mahakala. Confirm lineage, transmission and empowerment requirements before undertaking a full ritual.
Vaishravana
Protector · One of the Four Guardian Kings
Identity and meaning
Vaishravana is one of the Four Guardian Kings and is associated with protecting Buddhist teachings and riches.
Understanding the image
This painting presents the protector through his attributes, clothing and retinue. Identify him from the specific image and its source rather than treating all wealth-related Buddhist figures as the same deity.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Let generosity, contentment and ethical conduct inform everyday reflection on protector prayers. FPMT’s Protector Prayers includes a praise to Vaishravana; follow source and teacher guidance for the requirements of a full ritual.
Palden Lhamo
Protector · Female Dharma protector
Identity and meaning
Palden Lhamo is an important female Dharma protector with several forms and lineages, including prayers and offerings used in Gelug contexts.
Understanding the image
The central figure is a four-armed form riding a mule. It should not be interchanged with a two-armed form or another ritual text.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Begin with the meaning of protecting the Dharma and public praises. Details of libation and torma offerings follow the appropriate Gelug text and teacher, not an image alone.
Yama and Yama Dharmaraja
Protector · Distinguishing related names
Identity and meaning
Yama may denote the lord of death in Buddhist narratives. Yama Dharmaraja has a particular context in Gelug protector practice; related names do not make every form and text interchangeable.
Understanding the image
The museum identifies this image as Yama. It is not presented as the complete visualization for a specific Gelug ritual.
Introductory study and practice guidance
Reflect on impermanence and consequences of actions, and use the present for beneficial conduct. Confirm the conditions of the relevant Gelug lineage for Dharmaraja offerings and torma rites.
Compiled for introductory study. Updated 9 September 2026. Historical dates may differ between sources; specific practice requirements follow the relevant lineage and teacher.