Bhutan, possibly Punakha Dzong
Mid-19th century
Bhutan, possibly Punakha Dzong
Mid-19th century
Vajravarahi, readily identifiable by the sow’s head projecting from her own, is surrounded by seven other yoginis of different colors. The three teachers depicted at the top of the painting reveal that it comes from Bhutan. The most distinctive element for this attribution is the teacher at the left, who wears a dark blue hat with red and gold trim reserved for the Je Khenpo, the senior religious hierarch of Bhutan. On the reverse of the painting a precisely drawn stupa covers the area of the main deity’s body and represents her mind form. Inside the stupa her mantra is written in Lantsa script (a decorative form of Sanskrit), representing her speech form.This composition, with its dark landscape of symmetrically repeated forms, strongly emphasizes the figures. The fine jewelry, the naturalistic sow’s head at the side of the main figure, and the curved knife against her body nimbus, or mandorla, rim are all rendered with extraordinary detail.
A skull cup is an attribute of tantric deities and is usually paired with a curved knife. It can symbolize a mind filled with the bliss of realizing the true nature of reality.
This weapon is an attribute of tantric deities and is usually paired with a skull cup. When held by female deities it symbolizes wisdom’s destruction of all obstacles to enlightenment. When held by male deities it represents the method aspect of enlightenment.
An attribute of tantric deities, this staff represents the union of the two aspects of enlightenment. When held by a male deity it symbolizes his female consort as wisdom, and when held by a female deity it represents her male consort as method.
In Buddhism gender is considered more fluid compared to some other religions. Certain traditions emphasize the importance of all genders in achieving enlightenment. The feminine is considered an embodiment of wisdom and the masculine is an embodiment of method.
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.
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.
Female bodhisattvas and tantric deities embody specific enlightened qualities such as wisdom, power, and protection, and can be peaceful or wrathful in appearance.
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