Padmasambhava icon

Object location: Living room

This image was painted by Dharmachari Chintamani, probably in the 1970s at the time the London Buddhist Centre was being created. “Atula would have given me the piece of wood,” he recalls. “One day Sangharakshita said to to me that he would like to see a painting of Padmasambhava on a gold leaf background in the particular form depicted in the icon. He was quite specific about the iconography. Guru Rimpoche should be seated on a ‘guru cushion’ rather than on the customary lotus; he should be holding a vajra to his heart in his right hand; and a phurba in his left hand on his knee.” 

(A phurba is a ritual dagger or demon dagger).