One of A Set of Sixteen Arharts Depicting Buddha Shakyamuni
Tibet, circa late 19th century
Distemper on Cloth
35 in x 25 in; with cloth border 72 in x 30 1/2 in

Each thangka comes with a high lama consecrated Tibetan Mantra on the back. Tradition exists that when the Buddha was about to enter final nirvana, he entrusted the care of his teachings to a group of sixteen great Arhats and their disciples. The Buddha asked these forest-dwelling saints (see also āraṇya-vāsī) to make themselves available to the laity as recipients of offerings so that the donors might gain religious merit (punya).

The tradition maintains that in order to comply with the Buddha's request, the sixteen Arhats have extended their lives indefinitely through magical powers and are still accessible to those in need. This tradition is preserved in a number of Indian texts translated into Chinese, notably the Nandimitrāvadāna, which was translated by Hsüan-tsang in the 7th century. The sixteen Arhats are Piṇḍolabhāradvāja, Kanakavatsa, Kanakaparidhvaja, Subinda, Nakula, Bhadra, Kālika, Vajraputra, Śvapāka, Panthaka, Rāhula, Nāgasena, Iṇgada, Vanavāsi, Ajita, and Cūlapanthaka.

Excellent