Pala India, Jambhala (13)

11th century, Northeastern India, Jambhala, stone, 11,4 cm, private collection, Arts of India lot 573, 27th September 2023, Christie’s

This friendly yaksha figure holds an egg-shaped fruit in his right hand and a mongoose that disgorges jewels in the other, which identifies him as Yellow Jambhala.

Circa 11th century, Northeastern India, Jambhala, stone, found recently near the Nalanda university, photo published on Telegraph India

This figure holds a fruit and what looks like a manuscript but is probably meant to be an ingot.

Undated (late Pala period), Northeastern India, Jambhala, gilt metal (?), 8,6 cm, photo by Sunil Dongol, 2010, Dharma Deva Caitya, Chabahil, Kathmandu (Nepal).

Pala India, Chaturbhuja Mahakala

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Mahakala, stone, 15,9 cm, private collection, Arts of India lot 575, 17th September 20213, Christie’s

Mahakala in his four-arm form (chaturbhuja), adorned with a crown, bone jewellery, snakes, and a garland of severed heads, trampling on a victim and holding various implements: a skull cup and a trident in his main hands, a sword and an axe in the upper ones – which is an unusual combination (when standing, chaturbhuja Mahakala normally holds a flaying knife and a skull cup in his main hands, a sword and a drum or a trident in the upper ones).

Pala India, Achala (4)

12th century, Northeastern India, Achala, brass, 12,1 cm, The Claude de Marteau Collection Part IV, lot 1, 6th October 2023, Bonhams

Standing on two victims (one of them Ganapati), Achala, a wisdom-producing meditational deity, is depicted in his yaksha appearance, brandishing the flaming sword of wisdom in his right hand and holding a vajra-tipped noose in the other while making a threatening gesture (tarjani mudra). He is adorned with a five-leaf crown, bone jewellery, and snakes, including one to tie his flaming hair.

Pala India, Shakyamuni – stone (2)

Circa 10th century, Northeastern India, The Major Events in the Life of Shakyamuni, stone, 23 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 399 pl. 128A, Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1657, Lhasa (Tibet).

In his beautifully illustrated book, Ulrich von Schroeder explains that these events are also known as the ‘eight great miraculous events’ or ‘eight great illusory displays’, which happened at the ‘eight great places’. On this stele, the birth of Siddhartha is depicted in the bottom left corner (with the baby coming out of his mother’s side) and the scene of his death at the top. His defeat over Mara occupies the central place and shows him with his right hand to the ground, calling the goddess Earth to witness the event.

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Buddha Shakyamuni, stone, 12,8 cm, photo as before (p. 383 pl. 122C), Potala Collection, inventory nº 1566 at the Lima Lhakhang, Lhasa (Tibet).

Shakyamuni, seated under the bodhi tree, is flanked here by Maitreya (identified by the ritual water pot on the flower to his left, and his hand gesture) and Avalokiteshvara (who holds an open lotus in his left hand). According to the author’s detailed notes, the other two figures are Shakyamuni holding an alms bowl and Shakyamuni in meditation.

Pala India, Suryahasta (?)

11th-12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Suryahasta (?), The Bearer of the Sun, stone, 20,4 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 391 pl. 126C Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1654, Lhasa (Tibet).

As explained by the author, if what she holds in both hands is a sun disc, this is probably Suryahasta, one of the four goddesses of Light in Tibetan Buddhism (see the other three on wisdomlib ).

A view of the back reveals a very long braid of hair, dye with lapis lazuli powder.

Pala India, Padmantaka Hayagriva

Circa 12th century, Northeastern India, Padmantaka Hayagriva, stone, 12 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 387 pl. 124B, Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1565, Lhasa (Tibet).

A rare  one-head (with three eyes) and two-arm form of Hayagriva with a lotus flower in his right hand instead of a wrathful implement (such as a skull cup, a flaying knife, a sword, or a mace). The left hand makes a threatening gesture and may hold a lasso. He may stand on a victim and have no horse emblem. He is one of the ten wrathful deities that appear on a mandala with Hevajra at the centre (see on HAR ). The above has a horse’s head on top of his own, offset by his mass of flaming hair tied with a snake.

Pala India, Vairocana

11th century, Northeastern India, Vairocana (?), brass, 36,3 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 310 pl. 106 A, at the Khra ‘brug monastery, Yarlung Valley (Tibet).

A singular sculpture of Vairocana standing. He has a bodhisattva appearance (crown, full set of jewellery, lower garment, and scarf) and makes the gesture of enlightenment specific to him. According to the author, the monks at the monastery worship this statue as Avalokiteshvara in his khasarpana form, despite the absence of the usual attendants and the gesture not related to any form of Avalokiteshara. It is worth noting that the lotus base is on a stepped pedestal supported by lions, which are Vairocana’s mount.

There are some crested birds on the cross bar (either peacocks or the mythical hamsas).

We have seen another two statues of Vairocana standing, here  and here . 

Pala India, Tara – unusual forms

11th century, North(eastern) India, Vajra Tara, metal (brass), private collection, photo on HAR

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Vajra-Tara, stone, 12,5 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 390 pl. 126A Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1567, Lhasa (Tibet).

Also known as Vajritara, this form of Tara has one or four heads (each with three eyes) and four or eight arms. She usually holds a conch shell in her lower right hand extended in the gesture of generosity, a noose, an arrow, a vajra sceptre in the remaining ones; her main left hand makes a threatening gesture (tarjani mudra) and may hold a lasso, the others hold a hook (elephant goad), a bow, a lily.

Circa 12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Ashtamahabhaya Tara, stone, 11,6 cm, photo as before (p. 393 pl. 127C) Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1634, Lhasa (Tibet).

As explained by the author, ‘Tara who Saves from the Eight Great Perils’ is surrounded by eight images of herself in the act of saving devotees from the eight great perils: a lion, an elephant, fire, a snake, robbers, prison, water, and a demon. She may be an aspect of White Tara or Green Tara. Her right hand is in the gesture of supreme  generosity, the other clutches the stem of a blue lily. The above is seated with a leg pendent, atop a lotus seat supported by two small nagas (depicted with a human body and a naga hood). We can see the five directional buddhas above her head.

Circa 12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Ashtamahabhaya Tara, stone, 17,5 cm, photo as before (p. 393 pl. 127B), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1668, Lhasa (Tibet).

This one has the five tathagatas plus two monks above her head, and a number of unidentified figures under her seat. Mr von Schroeder tells us that the small female attendant near her left elbow is Ekajata (a dharmapala and the mother of Mahakala and Palden Lhamo).

Circa 12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Ashtamahabhaya Tara, stone, 14,5 cm, photo as before (p. 392 pl. 127A), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1579, Lhasa (Tibet).

A more complex distribution with more attendants, whom the author identifies as Marichi, Mahamayuri, and Janguli, two forms of Mahakala, and quite a few unidentified figures including various couples.

Pala India, Vajrayogini

There are quite a few forms of Vajrayogini, who represents complete buddhahood in female form; we have seen most of them in the Tibetan section of this blog. Except for one figure seen on Huntington Archive , which may be Sarvabuddhadakini, the portable sculptures from Northeastern India (Pala period) posted so far are as below.

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Vajravarahi, stone, 8,6 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 389 pl. 125C, Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1533, Lhasa (Tibet).

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Vajravarahi, stone, 9 cm, photo as before (p. 389 pl. 125D), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1536, Lhasa (Tibet).

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Vajravarahi, stone, 10,6 cm, photo as before (p. 389 pl. 125E), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1545, Lhasa (Tibet).

Vajravarahi may be the oldest form of Vajrayogini. When depicted with a consort she has no appendage to her head but when depicted alone she has the head of a sow protruding from one of her temples or the top of her head (or she has the head of a sow in some cases). In her most common form she stands naked, with one foot on Red Kalaratri and the other in the air, brandishing a flaying knife in her right hand and holding a skull cup in the other, before her heart; she also has a long ritual staff in the crook of her left arm and is adorned with bone jewellery, a bone apron or a belt, a garland of severed heads. She always faces the viewer.

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Vajrayogini, stone, 10,6 cm, photo as before (p. 389 pl. 125B), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1527, Lhasa (Tibet).

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Vajrayogini, stone, 11,1 cm, photo as before (p. 389 pl. 125A), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1632, Lhasa (Tibet).

The same figure without the head of a sow is simply called Vajrayogini, or Vajradakini (not to be confused with the dakini of the same name). The victim under her foot is a demon-imp called Nairrti.

Pala India, Samvara (7)

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Samvara, stone, 10,3 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 387 pl. 124E Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1561, Lhasa (Tibet).

Samvara in his sahaja heruka form has one head (with three eyes) and two arms, and he stands in embrace with his consort, Vajravarahi, who has a leg around his waist. He holds a vajra sceptre and a vajra bell across her back, she holds a skull cup and a flaying knife. The victims under their feet are Black Bhairava (who represents the ego) and Red Kalaratri (who represents ignorance).

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Cakrasamvara, stone, 14,2 cm, photo as before (p. 385 pl. 123C) Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1548, Lhasa (Tibet).

Samvara in his popular four-head and twelve-arm form in embrace with Vajravarahi (i.e. Chakrasamvara) holds the hide of an elephant in his upper hands, a vajra sceptre and a vajra bell in the main ones, a drum, an axe, a flaying knife, and a vajra stick (or a trident in Nepal) in the remaining right hands, a skull cup, a noose, Brahma’s head, and a ritual staff in the remaining left hands. The above (and the next two) has an effigy of Amitabha in his hair, which is gathered in a tall chignon and topped with a wish-granting gem.

Vajravarahi holds a skull cup and a flaying knife.

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Cakrasamvara, stone, 13,5 cm, photo as before (p. 384 pl. 123A). Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1553, Lhasa (Tibet).

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Cakrasamvara, stone, 12,8 cm, photo as before (p. 384 pl. 123B), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1596, Lhasa (Tibet).

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Cakrasamvara, stone, 12,8 cm, photo as before (p. 387 pl. 124C), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1592, Lhasa (Tibet).

11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Cakrasamvara, stone, 11 cm, photo as before (p. 387 pl. 124D), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1541, Lhasa (Tibet).

11th-12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Cakrasamvara, stone, 11,8 cm, photo as before (p. 386 pl. 124A), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1551, Lhasa (Tibet).

This sculpture clearly displays two of his usual hair ornaments: a crescent moon and a visvajra; the sun disc is not visible.