Collection: Hand Painted Simhamukha Thangka Paintings (Lion-Faced Dakini)

Why the lion’s face?

The lion is the king of beasts, and in Buddhist symbolism the lion’s roar is the voice of the Dharma that frightens away ignorance. Simhamukha’s lion face shows her fierce, protective nature. She is a wrathful dakini, but her wrath is not anger at people. It is compassion in a forceful form, directed at the delusion and negativity that cause suffering. In the tradition she is a protector and a meditation deity who transforms anger into pristine wisdom.

What to look for in the painting

• The lion face: the sign of her fierce, protective power.
• The glaring red triple eye: it stands for insight and heightened awareness.
• A standing or dancing pose: shown in motion, surrounded by flames.
• Her implements and ornaments: a wrathful dakini is traditionally painted with a skull cup, a curved knife and skull ornaments, which stand for cutting through delusion and transcending ego. Details vary between paintings.
• Flames and a dark, intense palette, the fire of wisdom that burns away negativity.

In the tradition she is invoked for courage, purification, and protection from negative influences. In the language of practice, those are meant as inner protections: against anger, fear and obstacles in the mind. A thangka of Simhamukha is a meditation support, not a guarantee of any outcome.

Is a wrathful deity right for your space?

Many buyers ask this, and it is a fair question.

• Wrathful does not mean unwelcoming. In Tibetan homes and temples, wrathful protectors often stand guard at an entrance or in a shrine room, because they are there to protect.
• Choose it if you want a bold, striking piece, you are drawn to protector deities, or you practice and want a proper image of Simhamukha.
• Think about placement. A bedroom or a space where you want calm may suit a peaceful deity better. A shrine room, a study, a meditation space or an entrance wall suits a protector.
• Prefer something gentler? Compare our Kurukulla thangkas or our Vajrayogini thangkas, or see the wider family of wrathful protectors.

Send us a photo of your space and tell us what you have in mind, and we’ll tell you honestly whether this is the right deity.

The two paintings in this collection

• The traditional Simhamukha thangka with 24K gold ($340): our fuller, more detailed painting, with real 24K gold work that catches the light. Choose it as a centerpiece or a collector’s piece.
• The Simhamukha thangka, a wrathful lion-faced dakini ($166): a classic painting at an accessible price, well suited to a personal altar or a smaller wall.

Prices differ with size, the amount of gold work and the detail in the painting. If you want a different size, or a particular form of Simhamukha, we paint to order through our commission page. For general advice, read how to choose the right Buddhist thangka, or try our Pick Your Thangka guide.

A note on practice and respect

Simhamukha practice belongs to Vajrayana tantra, which is traditionally received from a qualified teacher. You do not need to practice to display a Simhamukha thangka as sacred art, and many people keep one out of respect for the tradition. If you practice, ask your teacher how to place and care for the image. We are glad to answer questions about the iconography.

Why buy a Simhamukha thangka from Buddha’s Art of Healing

• Painted by hand, never printed, on canvas with mineral pigments and 24K gold. Meet our artists, or see how a thangka is made.
• Blessed by a monk before it leaves our gallery.
• Made at the source, at our gallery by Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, and operating since 1976. Read our story.
• Made your way. Ask for a custom size or a silk brocade mount.
• Shipped worldwide with tracking and insurance, rolled and wrapped in protective silk. See our shipping policy.
• Easy to verify. Our guide to authentic vs replica thangkas shows how to tell an original from a print.

Displaying your thangka

Hang it at or above eye level on a clean, quiet wall or altar, never on the floor, and away from bright sunlight and humidity. Our Buddhist altar setup guide shows how to arrange the space. A silk brocade mount gives the traditional border, and why brocade matters in a thangka explains the tradition.

Explore more dakini and deity thangkas

Browse all of our Dakini and Yogini thangkas, including Vajrayogini and Kurukulla. For other deities, see our Buddhism deities thangkas and Guru Rinpoche thangkas.