Red in colour with one face and two hands she holds a curved knife in the right and a skullcup upraised in the left. Resting on the left shoulder is a katvanga staff. Adorned with a tiara of skulls and gold, jewel and bone ornaments she wears a necklace of fifty dry skulls standing with the two feet placed on the bodies of red Kalaratri and black Bhairava above a sun disc and multi-coloured lotus seat. Completely surrounded by the flames of pristine awareness she looks up to the pure realm of Khecara and drinks from the skullcup in the left hand.

At the top center is Vira Vajradharma, a form of the primordial buddha Vajradhara, unique to the Vajrayogini system of practice. Red in colour, with one face and two hands he holds aloft a damaru drum in the right and a skullcup held to the heart in the left, with a katvanga staff leaning against the left shoulder, seated in vajra posture.

At the top right and left are two Sakya Lamas wearing monastic robes and the dark red Pandita hats typical of scholars. Both are seated on cushion thrones possibly indicating that the painting was sponsored during the lifetime of the two lamas. (Placed above a lotus seat is often an indication that the individual has passed on to the pure realms).

The lama on the left displays the iconographic signature of the great Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892). Placed in the two hands are a vajra and upturned bell while holding the stems of two utpala flowers supporting a vase on the right and a sword and book on the left. Important to Khyentse Wangpo, he wrote 22 texts on the ritual and practice of Vajrayogini. The lama on the right, possibly Loter Wangpo, places the right hand in the mudra of blessing while holding the stem of a blossom supporting a sword on the right side. The left hand placed in the lap holds the wisdom book. The fact that both these lamas are seated on thrones as opposed to lotuses would indicate that they were alive when the painting was commissioned.

Vajrayogini, is a representation of complete buddhahood in female form. Classified as Wisdom or 'Mother' Anuttarayoga Tantra the practices originate with the Cakrasamvara Cycle of Tantras. Although found in a variety of forms, she is common to all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In this particular form she is a special teaching passed down from the lineage of the Indian mahasiddha Naropa through to the Sakya School. This form is also popular within the Gelugpa Tradition.

Guru Lineage: Vajradhara, Vajrayogini, mahasiddha Naropa, Phamthingpa, Sherab Tseg, Mal Lotsawa, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, Sonam Tsemo, Trakpa Gyaltsen, Sakya Pandita, Chogyal Phagpa, etc.

J.Watt 5-98