The Four Friends

By Sonam Yeshi

Limited edition. Signed by the artist. High quality pigment prints on archival paper in A2 format.

Brought together by altruism, the tale of the four friends consists of a grouse, a hare, a monkey and an elephant. The tale has its origin in the Tittira Jataka – one of Buddha’s previous lives, and is a symbol of interdependence and living in harmony. The elephant is the youngest who supported the monkey, who held the hare, while the grouse, the eldest and most respected, sat at the top. They strolled through the jungle, spending their days discussing the world and how to make it a better place. They became an example of harmony and their presence brought peace and stability to the whole kingdom. In their future lives, these animals of great merit advanced in their spiritual development. Eventually, the grouse became the Buddha; the hare, his disciple Sharipu; the monkey, his disciple Mongelipu; and the elephant, his devotee Kungao. In her artwork, Sonam Yeshi playfully introduces the langur instead of the monkey as an homage to her life in Dharamshala, India.