Portrait of Arhat Bakula

The Arhat Bakula is shown in a three-quarter view, featuring a tan complexion, a dark beard, and long earlobes. He wears a yellow head covering with a floral pattern and a layered robe consisting of a dark blue floral-patterned sleeve and a green patterned garment. Behind him, a vibrant dark green circular nimbus provides contrast against a backdrop of pink, scalloped clouds and distant, rugged mountains. To his left, a white goose stands on a rocky outcrop, and a small, lidded ritual bowl sits on a stone surface.

Bakula is one of the Sixteen Arhats in Tibetan Buddhism, legendary disciples of the Buddha charged with protecting the Dharma; he is often associated with the mongoose and wealth, though here paired with a bird in a classic khienri-style thangka composition.