Thangka Sixteen.jpg [7/7] Title: Vunerable Points: Anterior View - Thangka Sixteen Source: Thangkas 012.jpg Caption: This thangka depicts the 302 areas of the body that are particularly vulnerable to external injury. These points are found across the body in seven different areas: bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, fat tissue, the hollow and solid organs and within the channels. These vulnerable points vary in degrees of seriousness, and are classified into three groups according to high, moderate or low levels of concern. In total there are 96 highly vulnerable points and 59 moderately vulnerable points; the other 157 points are considered low with regards to seriousness. The use of this classification is to determine whether or not the patient can be saved. Very few trained doctors can save a patient with an injury to a highly vulnerable point, only a good doctor can treat an injury to a moderate point, and any doctor is able to aid in an injury to a point considered to be of low threat. The figures on the left and right depict the internal organs, both the hollow and solid viscera, from anterior and posterior perspectives. The figure on the right shows the eight most vulnerable internal blood vessels, which all originate in the aorta. In other versions of this thangka, the two figures on the left and right look up to the central figure. This technique could be interpreted as an artistic technique and visual cue directing the student's attention to the most important figure. The small figure on the bottom right is a woman. Since women have different vulnerable points, her womb and breasts are illustrated. Sources and Further Reading: Dorje & Meyer: pg 43-44, 199-200