Sir R. Temple (Journal, p. 212) relates how in a chamber of a Sikkim monastery there were three figures, the central of which, with a fair complexion, was Amitābha, that on its right Gautama Buddha, and on its left Gorakh-nāth (see [p. 193] of this volume).
In the monastery of Galdan ([p. 441]) Mr. Sarat Chandra Dās saw the golden image of Tsong Khapa (with his golden chain and his tooth and his block-prints), along with the images of Amitābha, Gautama, Maitreya, Bhairava (the awful defender of Buddhism), Yama ‘the lord of death,’ and his terrific messengers.
In the great Cho Khang at Lhāssa (see [p. 459]) he saw images of Avalokiteṡvara, Mañju-srī, Maitreya, Kuvera, Padma-sambhava, with an immense number of others, and especially one of the terrific goddess Paldan (or Pandan) who is feared all over Tibet, Mongolia, and China, as the greatest guardian deity of the Dalai and Tashi Lāmas and of the Buddhist Dharma. He found her shrine infested with mice, who are believed to be metamorphosed monks.
At Sera ([p. 442]) he saw images of the Buddha in his character of ‘demon-vanquisher,’ along with Maitreya (in silver), Avalokiteṡvara, the six-armed Bhairava, the goddess Kālī, Dolkar (= Tārā, [p. 271]), the Tāntrik Vajra-vārāhī, the sixteen Sthaviras (pp. [48], [255]), and a great variety of others.
At Radeng ([p. 273]) he saw a golden image of Milaraspa ([p. 384]).
In the monastery of Sam ye ([p. 448]) he saw images of the Indian Paṇḍits who brought Buddhism into Tibet, with a vast number of other images.
At Tashi Lunpo he saw golden images of Buddha and Maitreya, besides images of 1000 other Buddhas ([p. 189]), and the four guardians of the quarters ([p. 206]).
At Yarlung he saw an image of Vairoćana Buddha, besides images of the sixteen Sthaviras, and a gigantic image of the king of the Nāgas, and a terrific representation of the demon Rāvaṇa (of the Rāmāyaṇa).
At Mindolling he saw fresco paintings of the six classes of beings ([p. 122]) inhabiting the six corresponding worlds. Of course delineations of the Jātakas ([p. 111]) and pictures of all kinds were common in monasteries and temples everywhere.
The two wonder-working images brought from Nepāl and China have been already mentioned ([p. 271]).