Thangka Painting With Mount, Framed - Buddha (25" x 21").With origins that are believed to date back to the 7th century, a Thangka is a sacred Tibetan Buddhist painting usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala. Regarded as the very essence of worship, these paintings are a means by which the highest ideals of Buddhism are discussed. Thangka serve as important teaching tools depicting the life of the Buddha, various influential lamas and other deities and bodhisattvas, the ‘Wheel of Life’ and Mandalas. The thangka painting of the ‘Life of Buddha’ narrates the most relevant episodes known as the “Twelve Great Deeds of Buddha”. The ‘Wheel of Life’ Thangka depicts a detailed representation of the basic Buddhist belief in the transmigratory existence or the theory of rebirth. Mandala Thangkas are representative of a system of meditation, often used as a visual aid for concentration, leading to the development of intuition and the activation of forces that lead to enlightenment. While thangkas are now also painted for sale, they are integral to practiced Buddhism. The making of a thangka is a long and painstaking process that can stretch over months. Besides skill in painting, the artist must have an understanding of Buddhist scriptures and iconography.In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas, and spent many years devoted to Buddhist studies before they started painting.