THE SNOW LION NEWSLETTER

Riwoche's Master Scupltor
by Andrea Russell

Within the shrine hall of Riwoche Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Toronto, seated on a lotus base, Lord Buddha extends his right arm in the earth-witness mudra. This gesture signifies Buddha Shakyamuni's enlightenment at Bodhgaya. On either side of this 5'5" figure in serene equipoise are five other deities revealing the consummate skill of master sculptor Tshewang Dorji from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan.

In 1998, the comprehensive vision of Khenpo Sonam Topgyal Rinpoche created a unique opportunity for Tshewang Dorji to reside as sculptor-in-residence at Riwoche Temple. The project grew to include replicas of the Dzogchen lineage masters of yore, from Garab Dorje and Sri Singha onwards to include contemporary Rime masters like Khathok Khenpo Ngawang Palzang (1879-1941) and so forth-fifty statues in total.

Born in eastern Bhutan in a district called Tashi Gang, Tshewang's beginnings were humble. His mother is a householder and his late father was a lay practitioner in the Nyingma-Kagyu tradition. At 18 years of age, he went into apprenticeship with his uncle "omtong", recognized as one of Bhutan's foremost sculptors. Commissioned by the royal family of Bhutan, his uncle is regarded as a national treasure.

Tshewang's statues are fashioned with low-shrinkage clay which resists cracking. The clay is then mixed to specification with filaments of cotton and handmade paper. From ancient times a record of the lineage of the Buddha form is thus preserved by the tremendous strength of this medium. The clay statues in the final rendering are traditionally not fired but air-dried.

It was to Dilgo Khyentse's Sechen Monastery in Kathmandu that Tshewang first ventured outside Bhutan and worked alongside his uncle Lopon "omtong". Here he spent a good part of a year exacting the forms of the sublime deities in the Guru Rinpoche Lhakhang. The Guru Rinpoche statue is 16' tall, with a magnificent diorama landscape wherein Guru Rinpoche's 25 disciples dwell. Other commissions came swiftly with work in Dudjom Rinpoche's Temple at Bodhanath, Nepal.

A champion of Buddhist imagery, Tshewang Dorji's contribution to dharma centers worldwide continues to instruct the heart of all who encounter their beauty.

For more information visit the website at www.dakinirealm.com or www.riwoche.com. Contact Tshewang Dorji at 416-766-7964 or dakinirealm@yahoo.com.