TIBET, 15TH CENTURY

This masterfully-cast figure, with its extensive inlays in silver and copper, represents Vira Vajradharma, the primordial buddha of the mother or wisdom class of tantric Buddhism and the counterpart to Vajradhara, the primordial buddha of the father or method class of tantrism. While the latter is commonly found in every sect of Tibetan Buddhism, images of Vira Vajradharma are significantly rarer. A painting in a private collection illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 90137, depicts Vajradhara and Vira Vajradharma side by side, one of the few known images of this form of Vira Vajradharma; in the painting, as in the present work, the buddha is seated in dhyanasana on a double-lotus base, holding a skull cup in his present left hand and a damaru (drum) in his right, with a khatvanga staff resting in the crook of his elbow. He is richly adorned with various armlets and necklaces, with large circular earrings and a skull crown.
The artist of the present work took great care to inlay the lips with copper and the eyes, including the third eye at the center of the forehead, with silver; additional inlays of silver and copper are carried out on the foliate details of the dhoti. An inscription running along the bottommost edge of the lotus base incorrectly identifies the figure as Vajradhara, and can be translated as: “Om svasti! To the one who has thoroughly abandoned birth and decay for a long time, and who confers [accomplishments] to all sentient beings, to the most excellent of all, Lord Vajradhara, I prostrate [and] beseech you at all times. Mangalam!”