Tibet, 16th century

Vajrayogini is one of the primary meditational deities of Tantric Buddhism and the female embodiment of enlightenment achieved through Tantric practice. She is associated with a highly secretive yogic practice which provides the practitioner a fast and direct path to enlightenment. She is the partner of Chakrasamvara and together, by the eleventh century, they became two of the most popular deities in Himalayan Tantric Buddhism.
Here, the great goddess lunges in alidhasana with a recumbent figure under each foot, atop a double lotus base. Her dynamic pose is accentuated by her long limbs and narrow torso, which twists upwards. She raises a blood-filled skull cup in her left hand symbolizing non-duality and wields a curved knife in her right, with which she cuts away ignorance. Dressed only in strands of beaded jewelry, her nudity represents the Buddhist concept of emptiness. A garland of freshly severed heads is draped over her shoulders and skulls adorn her tiara. Her expression appears engaged and smiling, however, upon closer examination, her smiling mouth shows bared fangs. Her wrathful demeanor is not intended to frighten, but rather to convey her unwavering nature. Large sculptures of Vajrayogini are rare, especially from this period and earlier, making the present work even more impressive.