Artwork Details

Title
Ritual dagger (kila, purba)
Dimensions
12 1/4 × 2 7/8 × 3 in.
Medium
Ebony, ivory with pigments
Origin
Tibet
Classification(s)
ritual objects
Date
17th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Carlton and Holly Rochell in honor of Donald Rubin
Object number
C2005.3.1
Bibliography
The Second Buddha: Master of Time
HAR Number
65390
Published references
  • Road to Enlightenment (Carlton Rochell, 2004), cat. no. 23.
  • ”Wizard. Tantric Master. Guru,” Spiral, March (2018): 7.

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Ritual

Concepts

Prescribed practices that carry symbolic meaning and value within a specific tradition and are intended to attain a desired outcome. Rituals are usually done as part of a ceremony or regular routine.

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Tantrism

Concepts

A religious movement that originated in India around the fifth to seventh century with sacred writings and esoteric teachings and practices transmitted from teacher to student through initiation. These remain an important part of Hinduism and Buddhism today. 

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Power

Concepts

A kind of energy that can be used, individually and collectively, to effect change.

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Tibetan Regions

Region

Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.

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