This vintage, original hand-painted medical thangka is a faithful reproduction of one of the historic Tibetan medical thangkas commissioned by Desi Sangye Gyatso (1653–1705), the regent to the 5th Dalai Lama. It is part of a series of 79 intricate anatomical and medical paintings created to illustrate the Four Tantras (Gyushi), the foundational texts of Tibetan medicine. Rich in symbolic and clinical detail, this thangka serves as both a work of art and a rare educational relic, encapsulating the deep medical knowledge passed down through the centuries.

Symbolism & Meaning

These thangkas convey the integrated Buddhist understanding of health, combining physical, energetic, and spiritual dimensions. They were used to train physicians, illustrating diagnostic systems, internal organs, meridians, and the causes of illness. Central to the teachings is the concept that the root of all disease arises from the imbalance of ignorance, attachment, and aversion. This thangka is a testament to the vast medical knowledge preserved within Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Product Details

Painted Area: 18" x 24"
Entire Thangka Size: 33" x 52"
Medium: Original, hand-painted artwork
Finish: Vintage style
Border: Traditional brocade thangka border
Origin: Handcrafted in Nepal
Special Feature: Based on the 17th-century medical thangkas commissioned by Desi Sangye Gyatso

How to Use

Ideal for practitioners of Tibetan medicine, scholars of Buddhist science, or healing arts centers. This thangka can serve as a visual teaching aid, contemplative object, or sacred support for integrating the view of health and healing as presented in Vajrayana tradition.

This hand-painted thangka represents an extraordinary piece that carries the lineage of Tibetan medicine, blending artistic precision with profound spiritual and medical knowledge.