Tibet, Vajradhara (19)

14th-15th century, Tibet, Vajradhara, gilt copper, 38,8 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1031 pl. 255B , at the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

Vajradhara, who always has a princely/bodhisattva appearance, sits with his legs locked and his hands crossed over his heart, holding a vajra sceptre and a vajra bell. In Vajrayana Buddhism he is regarded as the primordial buddha.

15th century, Tibet, Vajradhara, gilt copper, 30 cm, photo as before, p. 1063 pl. 271C , at the Palkor Chode monastic complex in Gyantse (Tibet).

A rare example adorned with elaborate jewellery including a necklace that covers most of his chest. As observed by the author, he holds the stem of lotuses topped with triple gems (triratna).

15th century, Tibet, Vajradhara, bronze with stone inlay, 30,5 cm, private collection, Indian and Himalayan Art lot 848, 21st March 2024, Sotheby’s

Undated, Tibet, Dorje Chang, (gilt metal?), photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011, on virginia.edu, at the Drowolung monastery (Tibet).

Tibet, Maitreya – various postures (12)

Circa 13th century, Tibet, Maitreya, brass, 25,8 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1157 pl. 305B, at the Tsong dus tshogs pa (Tsongdu Tsokpa) monastery, Central Tibet.

Maitreya depicted as a bodhisattva, adorned with a crown, princely jewellery, and a sash tightly drawn across his chest in the Nepalese fashion. He is seated with his legs locked, his right hand making the fear-allaying gesture, the left one holding a branch topped with a ritual water pot (kundika).

Early 15th century, Central Tibet, Maitreya, gilt bronze with stone inlay, 21,6 cm, private collection, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art lot 513, 20th March 2024, Christie’s

This one holds the stem of a large blossom topped with a kundika. The flowers associated with Maitreya are the nagakesara (a large four-petal flower from the naga tree – mesua ferrea in latin) and the champaka (a type of magnolia).

Undated (15th century?), Tibet, Jampa, (painted clay on a wooden armature?), photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011, on virginia.edu, at the Gaden Lhakhang, Gyantse Kumbum stupa (Tibet).

Maitreya (Jampa in Tibetan) with his hands ‘turning the wheel of dharma‘.

13th century or later, Tibet, Ascetic Bodhisattva Maitreya, 24,7 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, same publication as before, p. 1150 pl. 302B, Potala Collection, Bla ma lha khang inventory nº 453, Lhasa (Tibet).

Maitreya standing on a single lotus pedestal, his hair gathered in a bunch tied with a ribbon and adorned with a stupa instead of a crown.

14th century, Tibet, Maitreya, gilt copper, 75 cm, photo as before, p. 1033 pl. 256C, at the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

It is unusual for him to hold the flower topped with a kundika in his right hand.

12th-13th century, Tibet, Maitreya or Shakyamuni, brass with partial gilding, 16 cm, photo as before, p. 1146 pl. 300A, at the Khra Brug (Tradruk) monastery, Yarlung Valley (Tibet).

Maitreya as the future buddha, seated with both legs pendent and his hands in the dharmacakra mudra.

Tibet, Manjushri – various forms (19)

 

14th century, Tibet, Manjushri, gilt copper, 93 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1030 pl. 255A, at the Ngor E wam Monastery (Tibet).

Manjushri with the Prajnaparamita sutra in his left hand (rather than on top of a flower), his right hand making the gesture of debate/argumentation.

14th century, Tibet, Manjushri, gilt copper, 73,5 cm, photo as before, p. 1033 pl. 256B, at the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

After the 13th century he is often depicted with a flower to his right supporting the hilt of a sword (rather bent in this case) and a flower in his left hand supporting the book. If standing, he belongs to a group of eight bodhisattvas. 

Undated (15th century?), Tibet, Manjushri, (painted wood or clay ?), size not given, photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011, on virginia.edu, at the Palkhor Chode monastic complex in Gyantse (Tibet).

Vadisimha Manjushri sit sideways on a snow lion with his left leg pendent, his hands making the turning the wheel of dharma gesture and holding the stem of flowers that support the hilt of a sword to his right and a book to his left.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Manjushri, gilt bronze with stone inlay, 21,9 cm, private collection, Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Works of Art lot 515, 20th March 2024, Christie’s

The bodhisattva of wisdom seated with his legs locked and flanked by a blue lily that supports the hilt of a sword and another flower that supports the book.

16th-17th century, Tibet, possibly Manjuvajra, bronze with stone inlay and cold gold, no size given, photo on wisdomlib, at the Patan Museum (Nepal).

This figure with three heads and six arms holds a vajra sceptre and a skull cup in his main hands, which differs slightly from the esoteric form of Manjushri known as Manjuvajra mentioned in the Manjushri Namasangiti Tantra, who holds a vajra sceptre in both of his main hands. If this is Manjuvajra, the broken implements in his remaining right hands would have been an arrow and a sword, the attributes missing from his remaining left hands would have been a blue lily and a bow.

Tibet, famous lamas (40)

Undated (15th century?), Tibet, (painted clay or wood?), Khenchen Jangchug Pelzango, Sakya Sribhadra, Jamyang Rinchen Gyaltsen, with recently replaced hands, photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011 on virginia.edu, in the shrine dedicated to the masters of the Second Diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet, at the Pelkhor Chode monastic complex in Gyantse (Tibet).

From left to right, (Zulpu) Khenchen Jangchub Pelzangpo, a 14th century Tibetan master, Sakya Shribhadra, a 12th century Kashmiri scholar (see both on Treasury of Lives ) whose left hand originally displayed the gesture of debate (vitarka mudra), Jamyang Rinchen Gyaltsen, a 13th century Sakya master (see on wikipedia).

Undated (15th century?), Tibet, Choki Rinchen, Gyalse Thokme, Gangchen Khepe Wangpo Kungapel, (painted clay or wood?), photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011 on virginia.edu, Sempa Shrine in the Gyantse Kumbum Stupa, at the Pelkhor Chode monastic complex in Gyantse (Tibet).

Circa 16th-17th century, Tibet, Dpal ldan tshul khrims (Palden Tsultrim), brass, 16,8 cm, object nº AK-MAK-1510 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

18th century, Tibet, Dpal ldan tshul khrims (Palden Sultrim), bronze, 19 cm, object nº AK-MAK-307 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

We saw a group of six Sakya Lamdre lineage masters including this lama on Bonhams . These two sculptures depict him with his right hand in the gesture of debate and the left hand in meditation, with a vase of longevity in the second case (possibly missing from the first one).

16th century, Tibet, probably Rin chen phun tshogs, gilt copper with cold gold and pigment, 27,5 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1075 pl. 277C, at the Gser khang lha khang, Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

Rinchen Phuntsog was an important Drikung/Drigung teacher who lived during the 16th century (see drikung.org). He was a layman, hence the long-sleeve outer garment tied with a belt (note the elegant knot).

18th century, Tibet, sMin gling gter chen ‘Gyur med rdo rje (Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorje), gilt copper, 10 cm, photo as before, p. 1082 pl. 281A, at the sMin grol gling (Mindroling) monastery (Tibet).

The author explains that according to an inscription at the back of the base, the founder of the Mindroling monastery is shown here at the age of 67. He holds a  long-life vase in his left hand.

Tibet, various female characters (3)

14th century, Tibet, Suvarnamatsya, gilt copper, 22,9 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1043 pl. 261B, Potala Collection, Bla ma lha khang inventory nº 835, Lhasa (Tibet).

This female character is the embodiment of the auspicious symbol called suvarnamatsya (made of two goldfish placed vertically and facing each other). She stands on one foot like a dakini, baring her fangs and holding a ribbon in her right hand and a long-nosed fish in the other.

14th-15th century, Tibet, Pitadipta, gilt copper, 28,4 cm, photo as before, p. 1052 pl. 266A, Potala Collection, Sa gsum lha khang inventory nº 1174, Lhasa (Tibet).

Pitadipta is one of the eight goddesses on the lotus petals of a Kalachakra mandala. She has four heads and eight hands, in which she holds a drum, a jewel, a flute, a conch shell (right hands), a (broken) large kettle drum, cymbals, a small kettle drum, and another instrument (left hands).

16th century, Tibet, Parnashabari, gilt copper with turquoise, lapis lazuli and other stones, 30 cm, photo as before, p. 1071 pl. 275B, at the Gser khang lha khang in the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

A striking image of Parnashabari/Parnashavari, ‘the Wild Leafy One’, in her six-arm form. She holds an arrow, a (missing axe), a vajra sceptre pointing to her heart in her right hands, a (missing) bow, a fan of leaves with fruit and flowers, a lasso in the left ones. She has a yakshi appearance, with three heads, a smiling one, a semi-wrathful one, a wrathful one, each with three eyes and red hair, dressed in a lower garment made of leaves and bedecked with stone-inlaid jewellery and a matching crown. See more on Parnashavari

Tibet, various bodhisattvas (9)

12th-13th century, Tibet, Vajrasattva, bronze, 23,5 cm, private collection, The Graceful Path to Awakening lot 12, Hollywood Galleries

Out of context a standing male figure with a bodhisattva appearance who holds a vajra sceptre in his right hand and a bell in the other is Vajrapani. Early Tibetan works sometimes depict him holding the stem of a blue lily in his left hand, without a bell on it. We saw one on HAR holding a lily topped with the bell, with a vajra sceptre held horizontally in the palm of his right hand. The above holds it upright like Vajrasattva, who is a buddha when seated but a bodhisattva when standing.

13th-14th century, Tibet, Vajrapani or an emanation of Akshobhya, brass, 44,8 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1105 pl. 2987D, Potala Collection, inventory nº 228 at the Kun bzang rjes ‘gro lha khang, Lhasa (Tibet).

This figure stands on a lotus base atop a pedestal supported by lions and covered with a cloth decorated with an upright vajra sceptre at the front.

14th century, Tibet, Maitreya or Manjushri, gilt copper, 42,5 cm, photo as before, p. 1033 pl. 256D, at the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

Tibet, Hevajra (13)

15th century, Central Tibet, Tsang province, Hevajra, copper alloy with silver-inlaid eyes, 25,4 cm, The Claude de Marteau Collection Part III lot 9, 14th June 2023, Bonhams (Paris).

Guhyasamaja Hevajra, with 8 heads, 4 legs, 16 arms, in embrace with Vajranairatmya, who has one head and two hands, in which she holds a flaying knife and a skull cup. They are standing with two legs in the air and the other two crushing four maras stacked on the pedestal. His row of heads is topped with Mahakala’s; Nairatmya is coiffed with an unusual conical hat (see close up on HAR ).

15th century, Tibet, Kapaladhara Hevajra, gilt copper, 25 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1058 pl. 269A , at the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

Some forms Hevajra with the same amount of heads and arms hold peaceful and wrathful implements.  In his kapaladhara form he holds skull cups that contain animals on one side (elephant, horse, donkey, bull, camel, human, sharabha, cat or owl) and deities on the other (the god of death, water, fire, air, earth, the Moon, the Sun, a holder of wealth).

15th century, Tibet, Kapaladhara Hevajra, gilt copper, 29,5 cm, photo as before, p. 1059 pl. 269C, at the gDung phud chos ‘khor (Sakya monastery), lower Tib chu valley (Tibet).

A singular example with four heads only.

Tibet, Wrathful figures (12)

14th century, Tibet, Takkiraja (?), gilt copper, 25,4 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1042 pl. 261A , at the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

Takkiraja, one of the Ten Wrathful Ones, has one head with three eyes, two arms, and two legs standing in a fighting pose. He is adorned with princely jewellery and holds a hook/elephant goad in his right hand and a noose in the other (missing here), which makes a wrathful gesture (tarjani or karana mudra). We saw another example, from Nepal (see here).

The iconography is nearly the same as for a Vajrankusha (‘Diamond Hook’) from Densatil (seen in Jean-Luc Estournel ‘s catalogue raisonné) who holds an elephant goad in both hands, while another in the same article (fig. 275 ) holds the attribute in his right hand and makes a gesture normally made when holding a lasso or a noose (karana mudra). Perhaps the major difference, to distinguish them out of context, is that Takkiraja doesn’t wear a tiger skin around his waist?

Circa 14th century, Tibet, Vajrapasha, gilt copper, 28 cm, photo as before, p. 1039 pl. 259D , Potala Collection, inventory nº 84 at the Sa gsum lha khang, Lhasa (Tibet).

Vajrapasha (‘Diamond Noose’) is a one of the four attraction deities who guard doors on some mandalas. His main attribute is a noose to draw divinities to the mandala.

16th century, Tibet, Maharakta Ganapati, gilt copper with turquoise, coral, lapis lazuli, 20,5 cm, photo as before, p. 1069 pl. 274D, Potala Collection, Bla ma lha khang inventory nº 826, Lhasa (Tibet).

Rarely seen as a standing figure, the elephant-headed Ganapati, of Hindu origin, is usually depicted as a victim with two or four arms lying on the lotus base under the feet of a deity (or a couple). On paintings he may have three heads and more arms. The twelve-arm form normally holds a visvajra and a skull cup in his main hands, an axe, an arrow, an elephant goad, a sword, a spear in the remaining right hands, a pestle (a staff in this case), a bow, a shield, a ritual staff, and another skull cup in the remaining left hands. On this example he stands with his left foot on a rat who appears to be disgorging jewels onto the base like Jambhala’s mongoose, and there is a flaming jewel at the front.

Tibet, Chakrasamvara (7)

15th century, Tibet, Chakrasamvara, gilt copper, 34,8 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1049 pl. 264C , at the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

Chakrasamvara, i.e. Samvara with 4 heads and twelve arms in embrace with Vajravarahi, stand on Red Kalaratri (who embodies ignorance) and Black Bhairava (ego) atop a lotus base.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Chakrasamvara, gilt copper alloy with stone inlay, cold gold, pigments, 19,7 cm, private collection, Images of Devotion lot 1838, 1st December 2023, Bonhams (Hong Kong).

He has the hide of an elephant in his upper hands, a vajra sceptre and a vajra bell in the main ones crossed over her back. The remaining right hands hold a drum, an axe, a flaying knife, and a trident (following the Nepalese tradition). The remaining left hands hold a ritual staff, a skull cup, a noose, and Brahma’s head. She holds a skull cup and a flaying knife.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Chakrasamvara, gilt copper alloy with turquoise, cold gold, pigments, 34 cm, private collection, Images of Devotion as before, lot 1820.

17th century, Tibet, Chakrasamvara, gilt bronze, 14,8 cm, private collection, Auction 819 lot 17, Nagel

18th century probably, Tibet, labelled ‘Mahacakrasambvara and sakti’, gilt copper alloy, no size given, private collection, Asian Works of Art 15th May 2022, lot 240, Doyle

Nepal, Mahasahasrapramardini

12th-14th century, Nepal, Mahasahasrapramardini, gilt copper with turquoise, lapis lazuli, ruby, rock crystal inlay, 27 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 527 pl. 171B, at the Gser khang lha khang of the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery, Lhasa (Tibet).

Maha Sahasrapramardini (also called Maha Sahasrapramardana) is one of the five female deities who embody five early Buddhist texts known as Pancha Raksha (the others are Mahamayuri, Maha Pratisara, Mahasitavati, and Maha Mantramanudharani or Maha Mantranusarini). She may have one or four heads, each with three eyes, and six to ten arms. The four-head and eight-arm form may hold a variety of implements. In this case, the main right hand is making the gesture of charity, the left one holds a noose, the middle hands clutch a bow and an arrow, one of the remaining right hands holds a broken sword, the other probably held a hook; the other left hands likely held a lotus and an axe. She may be seated on a lotus throne or standing on a corpse.