Avalokiteshvara's mantra is OM MANI PADME HUNG
Avalokiteshvara is the Buddha of compassion. The Tibetan name
for this Buddha is Chenrezig. Here he appears in simple form with
one face and four arms. At the center of his heart he holds a
wish-fulfilling jewel. In his left hand he holds an utpala flower
and in his right, a mala. The utpala flower is a very rare type of
blue lotus. The closed, opening and opened buds represent the
Buddha.s omniscient awareness of past, present and future. The mala
is a string of beads with which to count prayers or mantras,
similar to a rosary used by Catholics.
This is the first thangka made by Ella under the direction of
her teacher Andy Weber and was gifted to Geshe Pal Tsering, a
Tibetan Buddhist teacher resident in Auckland, NZ. The landscape
depicts the Himalayan mountains and Waiheke Island (Auckland) at
the foot of the painting. These were the most beautiful places the
artist imagined to offer to the Buddha.
The painting is Windsor & Newton gouache on canvas as are
most of the other paintings in this gallery.
http://www.pureview.co.nz/avalokiteshvara1.html
