Dorje Drolo, One of Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava (detail)

Dorje Drolo, or the Wrathful Vajra, is one of the 8 manifestations of the legendary Buddhist master Padmasambhava. Revered as the Second Buddha in Tibetan Buddhist culture, Padmasambhava is believed to have manifested as the wrathful Dorje Drolo to fly to 13 places named Tiger’s Lair (Taktsang) and subdue local deities. He bound them by oath to protect his teachings and imprinted his hands and feet in the landscape.

Handprints and footprints are impressed throughout the landscape of this painting. They are most concentrated in the lower left corner, amidst images of Padmasambhava meditating in caves, where he made imprints in rocks and hid his teachings as treasures (terma) for his reborn disciples to reveal at later dates. The two handprints on the left side are inscribed Namsto Cave, which is a place where Padmasambhava is said to have left such marks “to inspire faith in future generations.”

One detail of note is an imprint of Padmasambhava’s full body located in the lower center of the painting, center-right in this image, which depicts a famous site in Bhutan frequented by pilgrims. See this painting in person in the exhibition The Second Buddha, currently on view.