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Mahakala’s fearsome appearance and the terrifying implements that he 136
holds display his capability to cope with our persistent and unwanted A gilt-bronze figure of White Tara
negativities. His most distinctive symbolic attributes are the chopper 18th century
(kartri) and the skull bowl (kapala) filled with blood, symbolising the Seated on a double-lotus pedestal with legs crossed in dhyanasana,
sharp edge of wisdom shredding all materialistic negative attitudes in her right hand extended in varada mudra and her left in vitarka mudra
the human-skull bowl of emptiness that holds the blood of defeated and holding the stem of a lotus blossoming at the shoulder, the palms
evil and demonic elements. Compare a related powerful figure of incised with eyes, wearing simple dhoti and clad in a billowing scarf
Mahakala, 17th century, in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, incised at the hems, adorning necklaces and earrings and hair neatly
illustrated by M.Rhie and R.Thurman, Wisdom and Compassion: The tied in high chignon, her benevolent facial expression centred by the
Sacred Art of Tibet, New York, 1996, pl.111. See also a six-armed third eye and framed by an elaborate headdress.
Mahakala illustrated by B.Lipton and N.Ragnubs, Treasures of Tibetan 15.9cm (6 1/4in) high
Art: Collections of the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, New
York and Oxford, 1996, pl.84. A similar larger example was sold in our HK$120,000 - 150,000
London rooms, 15 May 2014, lot 314. US$15,000 - 19,000
大黑天在佛教地位崇高，具備五方佛的全部智慧。其形像有二臂、四 十八世紀 銅鎏金白度母像
臂和六臂等數種，本尊為六臂形式，也是較被重視和常見的一種。在
藏傳佛教中，大黑天是一位宮室、知識和財富的保護神。亦據說被觀 The spiritual and compassionate Tara is highly revered in Tibet and
音菩薩降伏而被視為觀音菩薩的憤怒化身。大黑天最重要的法器是鉞 Nepal as a female Bodhisattva, and is considered as the Goddess
刀和嘎巴拉碗。恐怖的盛血頭顱器代表生命的執著，鉞刀是為了伏惡 of Universal Compassion and the manifestation of the actions of all
除障，而腳下所踏的是人類內心的三毒四魔。 Buddhas. Her practice was introduced into Tibet in the 7th century
and her popularity was greatly expanded in the 11th century with the
可對比一件多倫多皇家安大略博物館藏十七世紀的兇猛大黑天 arrival of Lama Atisha. There are twenty-one forms of Tara and the two
像，見1996年紐約出版M.Rhie and R.Thurman著《Wisdom and most popular ones are Green Tara and White Tara. The open eyes on
Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet》，圖版111。另一相關例子可 the palms, and center of the forehead, as depicted in the present lot,
見紐約Jacques Marchais博物館藏的一件六臂大黑天像，見1996年紐 indicate the goddess’s awareness in seeing all and compassion by
約和牛津出版B.Lipton and N.Ragnubs著《Treasures of Tibetan Art: alleviating the suffering of all sentient beings.
Collections of the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art》，圖版
84。也參考一件尺寸較大的例子，拍賣於倫敦邦瀚斯，2014年5月15 度母在西藏和尼泊爾地位極其崇高，有眾神之母之美譽。七世紀傳入
日，拍品編號314。 西藏，到了十一世紀其信仰廣泛流行。度母形象眾多，其中最著名的
為綠度母和白度母，而白度母因其臉、手、足心合有七眼，額上一目
觀十萬無量佛土，其餘六目觀六道眾生，故亦稱「七眼佛母」。
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