Page 185 - Christie's Asian Art Auctions PARIS December 2019

Derived from an Indian Buddhist text known as
Sarvadurgati Parishodhana Tantra, Sarvavid is a
form of Vairochana Buddha.
A gilt-bronze fgure of Sarvavidvairocana of such
a large size is extremely rare to come across. He
is supporting here with both hands the ‘Wheel
of the Doctrine’ or the dharmacakra. The four-
headed fgure is the most important deity in the
Sarvavid Vairocana mandala being the root of
the Sarvadurgatiparishodhana Tantra. This
‘Elimination of all Evil Destinies’ mandala was
composed most likely during the eight century
in North India. A few centuries later this Tantra
was retranslated by the Tibetan scholar Rinchen
Zangpo (958 - 1055) and became the iconographic
source for two- and three-dimensional examples
in Tibet.
A non-gilded bronze example is published by U. Von
Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, volume
two, Tibet & China, Visual Dharma Publications
Ltd., Hong Kong 2001, p. 1205, plate 329 B. (fg.1.)

(fig.1.) U. Von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet,
volume two, Tibet & China, Visual Dharma Publications
Ltd., Hong Kong 2001, p. 1205, plate 329 B.
This book is offered in the current sale as lot 215.

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