Tibetan medicine and its divine origins. Distemper painting by Chundu, 1970.

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The origins of Tibetan medicine, with the 8th-century physician Yuthok Yonten Gampo the Elder (gYu-thog Yon-tan mgon-po) depicted in the centre. At the top centre, the Buddha Sakyamuni is shown as the Medicine Buddha (Bhaiṣajyaguru): the halo round his head is aquamarine, his body-nimbus dark blue like lapis lazuli with golden rays
To the right, the sage, Yid-las-skyes asks the Medicine Buddha to explain the rGyud-bzhi or 'Four tantras', the principal Tibetan medical work, while to the left the sage Rig-pa'i Ye-shes recites the rGyud-bzhi as transmitted from the mind of the Medicine Buddha through a golden thread emanating from the mouth and chest (heart) of the Medicine Buddha. The rGyud-bzhi is written in the form of questions-and-answers between these two sages: at the beginning of each chapter, Yid-las-skyes asks a question, forming the namaskiira prayer gesture with only the fingertips of both hands touching, and Rig-pa'i Ye-ses recites the corresponding chapter in reply, while forming the vitarka mudrii (preaching gesture) with his right hand and forming the meditation gesture with his left. Yid-las-skyes is red, with blue hair and top knot, a yellow halo and a dark blue body-nimbus. Rig-pa'i Ye-shes is blue, with golden-brown hair and a top knot, a yellow halo and a golden body-nimbus. Both nimbi have a pink rim. Both sages are wearing monks' robes and are sitting in dhyiiniisana meditation posture
Directly above Yuthok, the Indian physician 'Tsho-byed gzon-nu (Sanskrit Kumaravijaha), is depicted with four attendants, holding a myrobalan plant in his right hand and a book in his left. The halo round his head is aquamarine, his body-nimbus dark blue with gold. On the far right is the four-faced Brahma, on the right a Brahmin holding a cintāmaṇi wishing jewel, both showing that some parts of Tibetan medicine were derived from the Indian Ayurveda. On the far left, a white Padmapāṇi, holding a lotus stem in his right hand and forming the abhaya 'fear not' gesture with his left. On the left is the white, two-handed Avalokiteśvara, his right hand holding the stem of a lotus flower, his left hand forming the giving gesture
On the sides and below Yuthok are the eight medicine goddesses: from left to right, a white goddess holding a string instrument in her left hand and a bow in her right; 2. a reddish-brown goddess playing a flute; 3. a yellow goddess holding a myrobalan plant in the right and a kalaśa or vase in her left; 4. a green goddess with the same attributes, in both kalaśas is a gi waṅ or bezoar on the top; 5. a reddish-brown goddess with the same attributes; 6. a white goddess with the same attributes; 7. a green goddess holding a mirror in her right hand and forming the 'fear-not' gesture with her left; 8. a yellow goddess holding a brown trumpet in her left and forming the varada 'giving' gesture with her right hand. The feet of all of them are in the dancing posture, hence they all are probably ḍākinīs (female ministering helpers)
In the bottom centre is Źan-blon, the protector of medicine, shown as dark blue, wearing Bodhisattva ornaments, and with his feet in the dancing posture. His brown hair is standing on end, and there is a flame aureole round his body. His outstretched right hand holds a gri gug (chopper) the handle of which is formed by a wishing jewel. The fingers of his right hand form the kāraṇā mudr ̄(fascination) gesture, while his left hand holds a skull bowl. He is wearing a garland of skulls, has three eyes, and his teeth are fangs. His skull bowl is filled with blood and nectar. On Źan-blon's left-hand side there are medicine bags, on his right hand side are jewels. At the bottom are the four medicine mountains on which medicinal plants are growing. Higher up on the left there are rocks with medicinal trees

Tibetan medicine and its divine origins. Distemper painting by Chundu, 1970.

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