Female Buddhas — Prajñaparamita
Prajñaparamita, a Buddhist wisdom deity, sometimes described as the Mother of all the Buddhas, is the personification of the Perfection of Wisdom texts, the book which became a goddess. She is golden in colour and her attributes include texts or books. She may hold a text in her hand, or alternatively she may hold the stems of two lotuses which are depicted bearing books resting on moon discs on the lotuses.
Prajñaparamita with rainbows 
Acrylic on card
Photo of detail of larger painting embellished digitally
Prajñaparamita mermaid/starriness (2015) 
Digital drawing
Finger on touch screen iPad sketch
I find Prajñaparamita an elusive figure. In the digital painting above I am interested in exploring this elusive quality. She emerges towards us out of a field of starriness. There is an indication of something which might be a mermaid's tail - I was connecting with her as a being who straddles different realms of earth, air and the sea depths.
Prajñaparamita's realm (2001) 
Acrylic on canvas
71 cm x 91 cm
See a detail
The above painting entitled Prajñaparamita's realm includes references to traditional and personal associations with the deity. Avalokitesvara is shown on a white lotus on the right, referencing his appearance in the Heart Sutra as the bodhisattva of compassion meditating deeply and seeing the emptiness of our experience. There are two dragon like nagas emerging from the depths on each side of the painting. The naga on the right holds a text which he lifts towards the goddess. I imagined Prajñaparamita manifesting within a great host of many Buddhas and the segment of a lotus in the top right of the painting symbolises this. To the left of the goddess is a vertical string of white flowers which represent offerings and blessings flowing down. And I intended the background to convey a sense of the elements of earth, fire, water and air.
Machik Lapdron (2017) 
Pencil and crayon in sketchbook
Machik Lapdron is an eleventh to twelfth century Tibetan female saint and yogini who developed a system of practice, Mahamudra Chod, a Tantric application of the Perfection of Wisdom teachings.
Prajñaparamita with butterflies (2016) 
Digital drawing
Prajñaparamita and naginis (2003) 
Acrylic on card
41cm x 37cm
Prajñaparamita (2003) 
Acrylic on card
40cm x 25cm
Commission
Close up of figure
A delightful commission, this small painting includes seahorses at the request of the "patron". Two mermaids, a westernised version of Naginis make offerings to Prajñaparamita.
