Tabo Monastery Central Hall: Monk Teaching the Dharma

INDIA, Himachal Pradesh

This mural is painted on the south wall of the ambulatory surrounding the inner shrine within the central hall of Tabo Monastery. It is part of a set of depictions of major events in the history of the monastery. According to the inscription at the bottom, this mural depicts the royal monk Jangchub O teaching the Dharma to monks and the Guge royal family shortly after the completion of the renovation work he was overseeing at the monastery.
Jangchub O, resembling a Buddha, is located in the middle of the image. He wears a red monastic robe over a blue collared top with long sleeves that cover his hands. Two Dharma wheels are painted below him, and there is a canopy above his head. At the top of the image, two attendants hold the ends of a hanging curtain.
There are two rows of figures on the left side of the mural. The bearded figure on the right in the lower row wearing a flat head covering and a garment with long sleeves is identified as a prince and patron of the monastery by a cartouche beside his head. Two royal monks sit in the upper row. On the right side of the mural, there is a group of 17 monks dressed in the monastic robes of Tabo Monastery. One of the figures, presumably the abbot, wears a hat and displays a mudra. The remaining monks have peaceful expressions and join their palms as a sign of respect. The figures in the mural have varied red, brown, and white complexions, an indication of the diversity of the region and the influence of Jangchub O across national and ethnic boundaries.