THE ARHATS AJITA, RAHULA AND BAKULA TIbet, 1st half 18 th ct. 59 x 43 cm (100 x 69 cm) This thangka shows the arhats Ajita, Rahula and Bakula in a landscape depiction of a high artistic level, which strongly follows the Chinese painting tradition. This thangka is one of a series of thangkas depicting the sixteen arhats and the historical Buddha at their centre. Arhats (gNas brtan) are the enlightened ones of Hinayana Buddhism. Initially, they are sixteen disciples of the Buddha, especially distinguished from a multitude of followers by their special abilities and circumstances. Later, two more personalities joined the ranks, now numbering eighteen Arhats. The Arhats are revered as leading figures on the Hinayana path because they attained self-salvation by overcoming ignorance and suffering. They pledged themselves to Buddha to realise the Dharma, to teach it and to proclaim it in all directions. Tempera on cotton, silk mounting Former old German private collection, assembled in the 1980s Minor wear, traces of age