This Thangka painting depicts multiple Buddhas surrounded by Bodhisattvas—enlightened beings who aspire to achieve awakening and devote their lives to helping others. At the heart of the mandala is the representation of the Five Paths of awakening, which a practitioner follows upon taking the Bodhisattva vow. These Five Paths are: – The Path of Accumulation – The Path of Preparation (or Application) – The Path of Seeing – The Path of Meditation – The Path of No More Learning Each of these paths is further divided into ten stages known as “Bhumis” (grounds). These ten Bhumis represent progressive levels of realization of emptiness and serve as the foundation for the virtuous qualities a Bodhisattva must cultivate on the journey toward full enlightenment.
