Rainbow Guru Rinpoche Pendant


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  • Rainbow Guru Rinpoche Pendant
  • Approx. 1 1/8" x 7/8"
  • Materials: vitreous enamel on tin and set in a metal case.
  • Padmasambhava, the "Lotus-Born", also known as Guru Rinpoche, was an 8th-century Indian Buddhist Master. Although there was a historical Padmasambhava, nothing is known of him apart from helping the construction of the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet at Samye, and shortly thereafter leaving Tibet due to court intrigues.
  • A number of legends have grown around Padmasambhava's life and deeds, and he is widely venerated as a 'Second Buddha' across Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Himalayan states of India.
  • According to tradition, Padmasambhava was incarnated as an eight-year-old child appearing in a lotus blossom floating in Lake Dhanakosha, in the kingdom of Oddiyana. While some scholars locate this kingdom in the Swat Valley area of modern-day Pakistan, a case on literary, archaeological, and iconographical grounds can be made for placing it in the present-day state of Odisha in India. Padmasambhava's special nature was recognized by the childless local king of Oḍḍiyāna and was chosen to take over the kingdom, but he left Oddiyana for northern parts of India.
  • In Rewalsar, known as Tso Pema in Tibetan, he secretly taught tantric teachings to Princess Mandarava, the local King's daughter. The King found out and tried to burn him, but it is believed that when the smoke cleared he just sat there, still alive and in meditation. Greatly astonished by this miracle, the King offered Padmasambhava both his kingdom and the Princess Mandarava.
  • Padmasambhava left with Mandarava, and took to Maratika Cave in Nepal to practice secret tantric consort rituals. They had a vision of Buddha Amitāyus and achieved what is called the "Phowa Rainbow Body", a very rare type of spiritual realization meaning to attain complete knowledge. Both Padmasambhava and Mandarava, are still believed to be alive and active in this Rainbow Body Form by their followers. She and Padmasambhava's other main consort, Yeshe Tsogyal, who reputedly hid his numerous termas/ hidden teachings in Tibet for later discovery, reached Buddhahood. Many thangkas and paintings show Padmasambhava in between them, with Mandarava on his right and Yeshe Tsogyal on his left.
  • Origin is India