Nyentok Monastery Maitreya Shrine: Sixteen Arhats

CHINA, Qinghai, Rebkong; Qing dynasty

This mural, measuring 3.8 m high and 40.05 m wide, is painted by Palden and his pupil Tshering Dondrub on the walls of the Maitreya Shrine. According to the Records of Nandimitra’s Discourse on Abiding Dharma, the Sixteen Arhats adhered to the Buddha’s request to remain in the world as protectors of the Dharma. The Arhats appear in many forms to guide sentient beings towards attaining enlightenment.
In the mural, the Arhats have nimbuses and hold objects such as a whisk, a bowl, or a sutra. They are realistically depicted with kind and amiable, serious and solemn, or detached expressions. The murals also shows smaller attendants and figures making offerings surround the Arhats. The turquoise rocks, mountains, and trees in the background contrast with the orange and red robes of the central figures.