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Sacred Art of the Himalayan Region

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Sacred Art of the Himalayan Region Sacred Art of the Himalayan Region Art is absolutely central to Himalayan spirituality. Sculptures and paintings of sacred figures serve as models for the most important Kunzang Galwa Dupa is a Padmasambhava is the UshnishavijayaU h i h ij personifies ifi Tibetan meditative practice, deity of the Bon tradition, legendary Indian adept the stupa, a dome-like The Buddhist deity which involves visualization. an indigenous religion long who brought Buddhism to Buddhist shrine. She helps Simhavaktra is a dakini Because they are understood as present in western Tibet. Tibet in the eight century. foster long life in Mongolia. containers of the body, speech, or “sky-walker.” She was probably made in China and mind of enlightened beings, during the Qianlong era. properly created artworks can preserve and transmit sacred Taklamakan Gobi presences across time. Indeed, Desert Altai Desert Tibetan sacred art is sometimes Mountains attributed with the power to “liberate on sight,” because even a visual encounter with its Tibetan symbolism can raise awareness Plateau Yellow River beyond ordinary thought, Indus CHINA feeling, and perception. River Himalayan Mountains Lhasa Yangtze River Kathhmaandu Ganges River The Svayambhu monument INDIA in Kathmandu, Nepal, is one of Buddhism’s The Potala Palace built by the most recognizable stupas Great Fifth Dalai Lama in 1642 still stands today. Although damaged PLEASE DO NOT and the symbolic Bay of Bengal center of the cosmos. during China’s Cultural Revolution, REMOVE FROM its three component buildings still THE GALLERY tower over the city of Lhasa. Ritual Implements of Bone One element in the development of Tibetan Buddhism was the spiritual discipline of ascetics, who wandered the funeral grounds of ancient India practicing meditation. To this day, Bone apron (sanmudras) Ewer made from human skulls Ritual dagger Pair of thighbone trumpets ritual implements made from 1700–1800 Approx. 1800–1911 Approx. 1500–1600 (kang-ling) human bone are a distinctive Tibet China; Dolonnor, Inner Mongolia Tibet Approx. 1800–1911 feature of Tibetan Buddhism. Human bone Qing dynasty (1644–1911) Bronze and iron China; Dolonnor, Inner Mongolia The Avery Brundage Collection, Human bone and copper repoussé Acquisition made possible by Donald Qing dynasty (1644–1911) To Buddhists, human bone is a B60M101 The Avery Brundage Collection, Buhman, 2003.13 Human bone and brass reminder that life is brief and B60M454 The Avery Brundage Collection, death inevitable. Bones have This kind of Tibetan ritual instrument B60B218 and B60B219 other symbolic dimensions as for subjugating demons is known as a phurba. Padmasambhava was credited These trumpets act as a reminder to the well. Tibetans see the skull as a with its introduction when he brought player and to the listeners of their own natural container. Unshaped by Buddhism to Tibet in the eighth century. impermanence and death. human hands, it represents the This powerful instrument is unusual in fundamental goodness that is having a combination of two metals: the natural condition of the mind. a bronze handle and a triangular iron Bone trumpets call fearsome blade. The three heads at the top of supernatural entities. Aprons of the dagger differ slightly from each bone beads are counted among other, but each has a third eye, frowning eyebrows, and fangs to accentuate the the funerary “dancing clothes” god’s wrathful appearance. A hole is that signify a yogin’s heroic pierced on top so that a tassel or scarf victory over life and death. Sorcerer’s horn The Buddhist deity Chitipati can be attached to it. 1800–1900 Approx. 1800 Bone implements are also Tibet Tibet The handle is formed by a knob with portrayed in painting and Goat horn and copper alloy Bronze with gilding lotus petals situated between two knots, sculpture. In this gallery the Gift of M. R. N. MacPherson, 1992.226 The Avery Brundage Collection, below which is a ritual crocodile called a B62B170 goddess Palden Lhamo holds a makara, from whose jaws issue the iron This horn terminates in the head of a blade and two serpents. The triple blade skull bowl, and Chakrasamvara mythical crocodile (makara) and is Chitipati is the lord of funeral grounds symbolizes overcoming the three root and his consort as well as the carved with auspicious and protective and a god of knowledge. He is usually poisons of desire, ignorance, and hatred. adept Virupa wear bone aprons. designs such as buddhas, a stupa, a shown with a female consort. PLEASE DO NOT dragon, a scorpion, and a snake. During REMOVE FROM exorcisms, beans or mustard seeds, THE GALLERY kept inside the horn, are cast into the air. Tibetan Ritual Objects Tibetans created many objects to be used in religious rituals and ceremonies. Monks hold the thunderbolt and bell in their hands during prayers, and Conch shell Ritual bell and symbolic thunderbolt Skull bowl (kapala) Pair of butter lamps such implements are seen in 1700–1800 China 1700–1800 Approx. 1700–1800 the hands of Buddhist deities. Tibet Ming dynasty, reign of the Yongle Tibet Tibet Held in the right and left hand Conch shell mounted on gilded silver emperor (1403–1424) Silver with gilding Silver respectively, they represent with inlaid jewels Bronze with gilding The Avery Brundage Collection, B60M7 The Avery Brundage Collection, the wisdom and skillful means The Avery Brundage Collection, B60M3 Gift of Margaret Polak, B85B3.a and B62M75.a and B62M75.b B85B3.b without which one cannot be Tibetans bring butter to temples and enlightened. The soundings The bell and thunderbolt (dorje add it to the butter lamps burning there. of long horns and conch-shell and drilbu) are the foremost ritual This is done as a means of acquiring trumpets summon the monks implements of Tibetan Buddhism. merit in Buddhist practice. to prayers every morning, The bell symbolizes emptiness, the and together with the sounds ultimate reality of the cosmos, while the of cymbals and drums, they thunderbolt symbolizes the meditative, punctuate the prayer sessions. ritual, and philosophical methods used to attain it. Used together during Prayer wheels, which come in all prayers and rituals, they signify the sizes, express Tibetan Buddhists’ union of emptiness and the method of devotion to their religion. Stuffed its attainment, which together comprise with rolled-up prayers, prayer the enlightened state. These objects wheels are rotated clockwise, are of great historical significance: the and a rotating prayer wheel Yongle emperor of China had these ensures that, even when one implements cast as a gift for a high is having a conversation with lama of Tibet. friends, prayers are being said. Skull bowls, trumpets, and vessels made of human bones remind devotees that life is impermanent, and they have to work hard for their salvation. PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE FROM THE GALLERY Teapot Prayer wheel Libation jug Storage box Treasure chest 1700–1800 1700–1800 1800–1900 1600–1800 Approx. 1600–1700 Tibet Tibet Tibet Tibet Tibet Silver Silver Silver repoussé Wood, leather, metal, pigment, and wool Wood with painted and varnished cloth The Avery Brundage Collection, The Avery Brundage Collection, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60M1 Gift of Ruth Sutherlin Hayward and overlay, inlaid gold, inlaid silver, and B60M16+ B60B158 Robert W. Hayward in recognition of the iron fittings anonymous artist who created Tibetan Gift of the Connoisseurs’ Council. furniture, 2005.86 2001.3 The leather covering of this wooden Every monastery has a chest in which storage box is painted with an overall to lock its treasures, such as silver and design of birds amid flowering and gold butter lamps and rare thangkas. scrolling vines. The influence of As befitting a treasure chest, this imported textiles can be seen in example has elegant inlaid fittings and the rectangular border design of is elaborately painted, bearing the interlocking coins. The front panel image of a rare form of a wealth-deity; features a figure holding a tray of he has three heads and holds various jewels. Red and gold, the main colors, objects, including two mongooses from are shown against a black background. which spill jewels. Also depicted on The box is lined with a stenciled wool this chest are two Karmapa Lamas, the felt lining from Mongolia. It has metal highest incarnation of the Kagyu order, mounts, metal lugs on the sides, and a indicating that this piece of furniture latch that can be secured with a lock. came from a temple of that order. The design of the bottom part of this chest gives us the illusion that it is in two sections, but actually there is only one space inside. Such chests were made in pairs. The twin of this one is in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE FROM THE GALLERY 1 worship of this form of Mahakala to person named Pan on the first day of the Shrine with fifteen gilded Manjushri, the bodhisattva of Mongolia in the 1500s. Mahakala steps ninth month, in the twentieth year of the wisdom, B60B1059 on two elephant-headed Ganeshas. His Daoguang emperor (1840). bronze images This bodhisattva carries the book of missing symbolic implements are the Approx. 1600–1800 Transcendent Wisdom and the sword flaming jewels, a skull bowl, and an 11 Central Tibet that cleaves the clouds of ignorance. elephant prod. The Buddhist guardian Dam Chen riding an elephant, B60B151 Wood with colors and gilding Gift of Donald Buhman and Louise Russell 2 7 The Dam Chen were five Mongol , 1995.72 Jina Padmajyotis, a buddha of The Buddhist deity Nritya, B60B144 brothers who swore to protect Buddhism. confession, B60B148 As the goddess of the dance, Nritya Dwarfish in appearance, they sit sideways This Tibetan shrine, with its fifteen carved niches, is for the display One of the thirty-five buddhas of holds aloft two thunderbolts.
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