Common Title Guru Chöwang: a narrative thangka illustrating the story of Guru Chöwang Early 19th century

Image (Melong) size 66 x 34 cm . Full mounted size 102 x 60 cm. Date suggested by the owner. Condition: poor, heavily used object with several substantial holes, some tears, fading in the upper part of the thangka. However the colour and detail in the lower part of the thang-ka is good. Guru Chöwang’s father is a business man and a Buddhist believer but his mother refuses to follow a Buddhist path, chant mantras etc. Father has Om Man Padme Hum written on a wooden block and placed above the entrance door to the house, with a bell. Father says to Guru Chöwang that his mother is very jealous and often hurts people and does not believe in karma. When his father is ready to die he tells his son to practice Buddhism and to help his mother. After his father dies Guru Chöwang tells his mother that he is going to be a businessman but actually wants to practice Buddhism. He asks a friend to look after his mother. He studies for five years. One night a small bird comes inside a cave...he realises this bird has come from his village and is worried that something has happened. He goes back and it has totally changed. His mother has died, the house is ruined. He goes to see his friend..where is my mother? She has died. Where are my things..money gold silver he has sent. The villagers have looted the house? or taken back things they have borrowed. She has died in anger and jealousy.Guru Chöwang is very sad ... she has no chance of going to heaven. He checks and she is in none of the six realms of rebirth. (hell, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, non-gods and gods). At last he goes through the doors of hell. His mother hears the door opening and thinks of her father and son and the bell above the door and remembers Om Mani Padma Hum and starts to chant. She and other human beings are released from hell as a consequence of chanting the sacred mantra.