Various Owners






A mandala of Vajradhara


Tibet, 19th centuryThe central figure, blue in colour, in yab yum with his consort, surrounded by five emanations, all set within a square, gated palace, surrounded by circular belts of lotus lappets, vajras and flames, all set against an intense blue sky with the Sun and Moon, with Padmasambhava and two monks above, and two female deities below.34.5cm (13 5/8in) x 26cm (10 1/8in)
|ProvenanceNavin Kumar, ParisFournier Collection, ParisA private European collection, acquired from the above in the 1980'sJeff Watt explains that, from the 11th century onwards, the New Schools of Buddhism view Buddha Vajradhara as the secret, or inner form, of Buddha Shakyamuni and the combined essence of all the Buddhas of the Ten Directions and Three Periods gathered as one.In Anuttarayoga Tantra it is Vajradhara who emanates forth the forms of the Five Symbolic Buddhas and Vajrasattva followed by the meditational deities such as Guhyasamaja, Shri Hevajra and Chakrasamvara. According to the Nyingma Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism Vajradhara is an activity emanation of Buddha Samantabhadra.