English: The blue Medicine Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru, sits centre in the first of the medical thangkas. This placement illustrates his vital importance to the practice and study of Tibetan Medicine. This painting consists of a walled 'City of Irresistible Beauty' where a host of deities reside alongside the Medicine Buddha. The city itself is square with four gates opening up in each of the cardinal directions. Outside the palace's walls lie four mountains where medicinal plants grow and animals roam.

Growing in the Snow Mountain to the north of the city are white and red sandalwood, camphor, arecanut palm, chiretta along with many other plants and trees. Although it is not clearly visible in this photograph, the moon is located in the center of the top row of the north mountain. The east, south and west mountains each contain different plants corresponding to their climate.

The figure in the top left of this painting is the Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682) who was responsible for communicating the teaching of Tibetan medicine to Sangye Gyamtso. The figures that follow are a variety of medicine Buddhas.

Sources and Further Reading:

Dorje & Meyer: pg 17 & 173