I started this Medicine Buddha thangka nine years ago when my mother was undergoing treatment for cancer. Happily, Mom recovered well. Then I let the thangka remain unfinished for several years, only to return to it during a worldwide health crisis.
In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, I became acutely conscious of global interconnection. The phrase “we’re all in this together” kept coming to mind. At the same time, I was aware that different people experienced vastly different impacts from this shared crisis—depending on their work, health, resources, and race, as well as whether they live alone or with others. The virus interacted with imbalances at our roots and continues to do so in increasingly apparent ways.
Tibetan medical practices are based on the premise that disease arises from imbalances caused by the mental poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion. True healing must, therefore, be grounded in spiritual transformation. Buddhas are referred to as great physicians because they possess the compassion, wisdom, and skillful means to diagnose and treat the delusions that lie at the root of all suffering.
Spurred by the global pandemic to return to this thangka, I found the clouds and mountains wanting to offer the whole Earth to this Buddha for healing.
Then I turned to you, my friends and readers, to surround the Buddha with voices from around the world expressing the unifying truth, “we’re all in this together.” You responded with an outpouring of linguistic generosity—28 languages!
I printed, stitched, and quilted your words into a watery border representing the ocean of samsara, the field of interdependence and misunderstanding from which our diverse experiences arise.
A prayer from the great Buddhist commentator Shantideva arose to join your words:
May the frightened cease to be afraid
and all those bound be freed.
May the powerless find power
and all beings strive to benefit one other.
May I be a guard for those without protection,
a guide for those who journey,
and a boat, a bridge or passage
for those desiring the further shore.
May I be the doctor, nurse and medicine
for all who are ailing in this world.
May the pain of every living creature
be completely cleared away.
I offer this prayer to you. And I offer my newest artwork to you too—hoping it brings you joy, light, and comfort.
You can order a print of the thangka at this link:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/all-in-this-together-leslie-rinchen-wongmo.html
You’ll find a dizzying array of printing options there, but I recommend you keep it simple:
✓ Just click on Art Print.
✓ Stick with the default Archival Matte Paper. (It’s quite nice!)
✓ Choose your print size (and a frame if you like).
✓ And place your order!
Then when your print arrives, please send me a note and a photo. I’d love to see all the places this Buddha travels to and all the people it connects.
Photos by W. Scott Miles, www.TheScientificPhotographer.com
