STATUETTE DE CHAKRASAMVARA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉ

Népal, XIVe siècle

Footnotes

尼泊爾 十四世紀 銅鎏金勝樂金剛像

Provenance:
Acquired from Schoettle Asiatica, Stuttgart, 22 November 1982.
Collection of Christian von Reitzenstein.

來源
於1982年11月22日得自Schoettle Asiatica，斯圖加特
Christian von Reitzenstein珍藏

Chakrasamvara is an important transformative deity (yidam) in Vajrayana Buddhism and represents Buddha-like compassion. The female deity, Vajravarahi, embodies Buddha-like wisdom. They are depicted here in ecstatic embrace. He cradles her in his primary arms, producing vajrahumkara mudra by crossing the vajra and ghanta in his hands, symbolizing that wisdom and compassion have dissolved into one perfect interpenetrative union. They stand upon prone and contorted human figures on a large circular lotus platform.

Gilt-bronze figures of Chakrasamvara demanded the best craftsmen in order to produce complex images that could both express and inspire the most exquisite state of mind. Chakrasamvara features prominently across all Tibetan Buddhist schools and is the principal transformative deity of both Kagyu and Sakya lineages. The Phagdru Kagyu sect installed Chakrasamvara as the principal deity of Drigung monastery in Lhasa (founded 1179). Chakrasamvara is also key for the Newars of Nepal, who perceived the entire Kathmandu valley as his mandala (celestial abode). They were the master painters and sculptors who produced superlative works for Tibetan patrons, such as the Sakyas at Ngor monastery (founded 1429).