A GILT COPPER ALLOY VAJRA


TIBET, CIRCA 16TH CENTURYHimalayan Art Resources item no.61686 18 cm (7 in.) long
|西藏 約十六世紀 銅鎏金金剛杵 Variously translated as a 'thunderbolt', 'diamond scepter', or 'adamantine scepter', the vajra's symbolism in Vajrayana Buddhism seems endless. Referred to within the name of Shakyamuni's seat of enlightenment (vajrasana), the vajra is symbolic of the immutable quality of the spiritual truth he unveiled. As a ritual implement in Tibet, a vajra most commonly appears with five-prongs, such as the present example. This gilded vajra's style is likely derivate of a type developed by early Ming imperial workshops in the 15th century, but has more slender petals indicating a date from the subsequent century. Compare with a closely related example sold at Christie's, New York, 22 March 2013, lot 1253.Provenance Private European Collection, 1970s/80s