CENTRAL TIBET, 13TH CENTURY

The current thirteenth-century sculpture from central Tibet depicts Ratnasambhava seated in the vajra posture atop a double lotus pedestal. His right hand displays the gesture of charity, while his left hand is elegantly held above his lap, showing the sign of meditation. The princely sambhogakaya form of Ratnasambhava Buddha is ornamented with elaborate jewelry and adornments, namely a five-fold crown, a pair of circular earrings, and various necklaces and other beaded ornaments around his neck, arms, wrists and ankles. The body of the Buddha is encircled by an animated ribbon-like scarf, framing the figure in a circular halo.
Ratnasambhava emerges from the five Buddha families, signifying the purification of pride. Thought to be residing in the south and gold in color, other depictions of Ratnasambhava show him holding a wish-fulfilling jewel in his left hand, symbolizing the enriching qualities of the Buddha’s doctrine. The present sculpture belongs to a body of work long considered to originate in the western provinces of Tibet, however, more recent scholarship suggests a more general Tibetan style derived from Pala and Kashmiri prototypes.
Compare the present work with two bronze figures of Ratnasambhava illustrated by U. von Schroeder in Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, p. 180, figs. 34A and 34B, along with a fourteenth-century sculpture of Ratnasambhava from Fondation Alain Bordier (acc. no. ABS 032). The sculpture is hollow cast in one piece as indicated by the connecting pieces in the five-fold crown. Remains of cold gold on the face and polychrome at the top knot suggest an elaborate consecration ceremony where the statue of the Buddha was animated to embody the divine.