The Buddha Shakyamuni with sixteen Buddhist elders

Shakyamuni (the historical Buddha) is identified in the Tibetan tradition by his yellow skin and his hand gestures. His right hand makes the earth- touching gesture, and his left holds a bowl for receiving offerings.

Here two major disciples accompany him. Directly above him the white-skinned Buddha Vairochana makes the gesture of preaching. The sixteen arhats, disciples of Shakyamuni, appear on either side of their teacher.

Next to the two major disciples are the Chinese monk Hvashang with his belly exposed (left) and Dharmatala (right) accompanied by his tiger. Dharmatala, the idealized form of the great Tang dynasty monk-explorer and translator Xuanzang, is a main character in the popular Chinese novel Monkey.

The guardians of the four directions appear at bottom.