Tangtong Gyelpo

This luxuriously draped figure is the 14th–15th century yogi Tangtong Gyelpo. He is reputed to have lived to the age of 124, perhaps with help from the long-life vase he holds in his lap and the medicine in his right hand.

He was believed to be a terton, predestined to reveal hidden teachings of the 8th-century Buddhist master Padmasambhava, and a mental emanation of Padmasambhava himself. As such, he extended the lifespan of the teachings of Padmasambhava, who was known as the Second Buddha. Tangtong Gyelpo in turn hid his own teachings to be revealed for future generations, making him the “second Padmasambhava.” A renowned engineer and blacksmith, he also built iron chain suspension bridges, another enduring legacy, which can be found today throughout Tibet and Bhutan.