TIBET DE L'EST, XVIIIEME SIECLE

The yogi Milarepa is considered one of the great folk heroes of Tibetan culture and one of the key religious figures in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Despite the high acclaim in which he is held, the exact details of his life are unknown. Indeed, to this day, there is some debate about the years of his birth and death, although most scholars believe that he was born in 1040 and died in 1123. Much of what is known about his life comes from the work of the 15th century yogi and biographer, Tsangyön Heruka, who is known to have embellished his accomplishments. Nonetheless, it is generally accepted that Milarepa led the life of a layman before seeking out the guidance of the guru Marpa and eventually becoming a great master himself. It is because of his rise from an ordinary Tibetan to enlightened master that he is so well-respected in Tibetan culture. He is said to have composed thousands of songs and poems of a Buddhist nature and therefore is often portrayed with his hand cupped to his ear in song. In the present painting, he is shown wearing the single white robe of an ascetic yogi, the repa, from which his name derives.