Stitch by stitch, Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo is building a sacred applique thangka of the Medicine Buddha from bits of satin and brocades. The deep blue figure is finally complete and clothed in red and gold.

Medicine Buddha

A deep blue satin Medicine Buddha is beginning to take shape, stitch by stitch, under Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo’s nimble fingers. Rinchen-Wongmo started this piece of Tibetan appliqué two years ago, when her mother was ill. Slowly and intermittently, she wrapped horsehair with thread and hand-stitched bits of silk and brocade into a sacred fabric mosaic.

Finally, the figure is now complete. Completing the background will take another several months. In the meantime, Leslie’s mother has recovered from her illness.

Tibetan healing practices are based on the premise that the fundamental cause of every disease can be found in physical imbalances resulting from the mental poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion. True healing must be grounded in spiritual transformation.

Buddhas (including the idealized Medicine Buddha and the historical Buddha Shakyamuni) are referred to as great physicians because they possess the compassion, wisdom, and skillful means to diagnose and treat the delusions underlying all mental and physical suffering.

To expand on the analogy:
Buddha is the physician who diagnoses our ailments and prescribes a treatment plan. Dharma is the medicine that cures us, if taken. And Sangha is the nurse who administers the medicine, supports the patient in implementing the treatment, and accompanies the patient on the path to healing.

Medicine Buddha’s body has the deep blue color of lapis lazuli. Both the stone and the color carry remarkable healing effects. His right hand is in the gesture of granting blessings and holds the stem of a medicinal plant. His left hand holds a begging bowl filled with healing nectar and fruit.

The act of stitching Tibetan appliqué has been described by Rinchen-Wongmo’s students as mindfulness in action. Each piece is rich in teachings and opportunities for meditation and healing.

Through the Stitching Buddhas Virtual Apprentice Program, Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo teaches silk thangka making internationally — giving creative, spiritually oriented women a meaningful way to integrate their paths.