Kham Province, Eastern Tibet
19th century
The right hand is extended in a giving gesture.
Kham Province, Eastern Tibet
19th century
The right hand is extended in a giving gesture.
A bell is often paired with the vajra and is another implement used in tantric practices and an attribute of tantric masters and deities. It generally symbolizes wisdom, the feminine aspect of enlightenment, and its ring is said to be the sound of emptiness.
A vajra is a ritual scepter used in tantric practices and an attribute of tantric masters and deities. It generally symbolizes method, the male aspect of enlightenment.
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.
While the primary religious goal for followers of Buddhism is enlightenment, many of the practices also serve secular goals related to daily life, including ethical conduct and cultivating well-being.
Himalayan art includes portraits of legendary and historical humans, including accomplished religious teachers (lamas), the Buddha’s original disciples (arhats), and spiritually accomplished tantric masters (mahasiddhas).
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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