This painting depicts the Mandala of Eight Doctrines, one of the most profound sacred teachings of the Nyingmapas, transmitted by Guru Padmasambhava himself, considered the founder of the Nyingma school. The eight doctrines relate to the practices associated with the eight herukas (a class of wrathful deities) of the Nyingma Mahayoga tradition.  In the center of this mandala resides the wrathful deity Chemchog.  His main purpose, as with all wrathful manifestations, is to tame the overwhelming negative emotions within each of us, transmute them into positive attributes and assist one to the ultimate, egoless state.