Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen and the Jonang Lineage

Dolpopa sits in the center on a lotus pedestal, wearing traditional red and saffron monk's robes with a red pandita hat. His hands are in the earth-touching and meditative mudras, and his shoulders are flanked by two lotus flowers supporting a sword and a book, representing Manjushri. The composition is arranged in a hierarchy, with smaller figures of lineage lamas in circular niches along the periphery, and a small shrine containing a dharma wheel and ritual offerings placed at the base of the central throne. At the very bottom, the scene transitions to a landscape with a dark blue wrathful deity on the left and a white figure riding a lion on the right, all set against a vibrant background of clouds, rainbow arcs, and lush foliage.

This painting represents the Jonang school of Tibetan Buddhism, famous for its 'Zhentong' (empty of other) philosophy, which Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen significantly expanded through his seminal text, the 'Mountain Dharma'. The inclusion of both peaceful and wrathful deities signifies the synthesis of sutra and tantric practices characteristic of the tradition.