MONGOLIAN COLLECTABLES

MONGOLIAN COLLECTABLES

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BUDDHA AKSHOBYA

Provenance: Western Tibet (or Nepal ) 17-18^th Century

Size: 5 1/4 inches

Material: Bronze with highly patterned engraving and traces of polychrome.

This is a very powerful sculpture of Buddha Akshobya - a principal buddha within Vajrayana Buddhism residing in the eastern quarter of a mandala and a minor buddha within the sutra tradition of Mahayana Buddhism. His attribute which is the Vajra is before him on the moon disc throne.

"Arising in the eastern direction is Akshobhya on an elephant, lotus and moon throne; with a body blue in colour the right hand is placed in the mudra of pressing down." (Dragpa Gyaltsen, 1147-1216).

Occupying a central role in Vajrayana Buddhism, Akshobhya, by some accounts, is Lord of the 2nd of the Five Buddha Families of tantra and found throughout all four tantra classifications most notably in the anuttarayoga class. Akshobhya is also mentioned in several Mahayana sutras, the Vimalakirti Nirdesa being the most famous. It was in Abhirati, the pureland of Akshobhya, attainable only by 8th level bodhisattvas, where the famous Tibetan yogi Milarepa and the scholar Sakya Pandita are said to have obtained complete buddhahood.

It is rare to find such a fine example of Western Tibet sculpture showing strong Newari influences. Particularly a portrait of the Buddha of the East. The sculpture has aged well showing fine natural patina and signs of ritual use.

If you would like to see more pictures, please don't hesitate to ask and I will send you a zip file full of them.