In Buddhism, the coming World Teacher is expected as Maitreya Buddha. A thangka is traditionally a Buddhist religious painting on cotton or silk, often depicting a Buddhist deity. It would commonly be used as a spiritual guide and inspiration for personal meditation and enlightenment.
By contemplating the deity depicted the viewer can internalise the Teacher’s qualities. Benjamin Creme’s modern version of a thangka, in oil on board, has been described as depicting the “relationship between a Master and his disciple. The circles around the top of the head are about different levels of consciousness. The rose colored curved lines represent the cosmic energy of Love and the interconnectedness of the universe.
Thangka for the coming Buddha Maitreya, 1965
