Page 241 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Tantra Buddhost Art

The complex and powerfully modelled sculpture depicts 大威德金剛，乃大智文殊菩薩之忿怒相，與其明妃金剛露漩
Yamantaka Vajrabhairava, the wrathful manifestation of 結合，造像精細複雜，莊嚴威武。頭上牛首高聳，碩大兇
Manjushri, the bodhisattva of Discriminating Wisdom, 猛，怒髮上衝，盤為粗索，大如其身，尤見矚目。牛首後
together with his consort Vajravetali in ecstatic union. The 方，圍繞六忿怒人面。六面之頂，又見一忿怒人面與文殊菩
large and ferocious buffalo head of Vajrabhairava with 薩忿怒相。
towering, fiery tresses coiled into thick ropes dominate the
sculpture and commands the focal point, as it is the same size 大威德金剛，亦稱怖畏金剛，意為勝伏死主，消愚昧，除恐
as the torso and legs. Six fierce human faces wrap around 懼，乃藏傳佛教格魯派密宗所修本尊之一。此派由宗喀巴大
the back of the buffalo head, and are surmounted by a further 師（1357-1419年）創立，後由清廷確立尊崇。明代君主對
fierce human face and the head of wrathful Manjushri. 格魯派已愈加重視。十七世紀中葉以來，格魯派歷代以達賴
喇嘛為首，成為西藏教權之主流，亦為中國唯一傳承的藏傳
Vajrabhairava, or Adamantine Anger, the destroyer of 佛教宗派。
ignorance and fear of death, is one of the principal yidams of
the Geluk sect, the Tibetan Buddhist order founded by Tsong 歷朝君主與宗喀巴大師，被視為文殊菩薩化身，大威德金剛
Khapa (1357-1419) that was later favoured at the Qing court. 因而備受尊崇，威震中國。清代皇帝大興格魯派，冊封達賴
The Geluk sect enjoyed increased importance amongst the 與班禪，於京城修建大量寺廟。大威德金剛，文殊菩薩威德
emperors of the Ming dynasty. From the mid-17th century on, 至上之相，代表至尊皇權。此像大氣凜然，執掌聖訓，象徵
The Geluk lineage were the dominant theocratic power in Tibet 覺悟佛法之最高境界。
through the Dalai Lama, and the sole represented Tibetan
Buddhist lineage within China.

Tsong Khapa, as well as the Manchu emperors, were 金剛露漩之三環串珠腰帶與短腰布，可與一例比較，十八世
additionally considered manifestations of the bodhisattva 紀本尊及明妃銅像，售於倫敦佳士得，2012年11月6日，編
Manjushri, explaining in part the popularity of Vajrabhairava 號94。
within China. The Qing emperors maintained direct links with
the Dalai and Panchen Lamas and propagated the Geluk
lineage of Buddhism within China, sponsoring the construction
of numerous monasteries and temples around the capital
of Beijing. Vajrabhairava, the all-powerful manifestation of
Manjushri, was thereby symbolic of the ultimate imperial
authority. This awe-inspiring statue serves to enforce the
imperial mandate while representing the highest ideals of the
spiritual path to Buddhist enlightenment.

Compare the triple-looped beaded girdle and short dhoti of
Vajravetali with another eighteenth century bronze figure
of the yidam and consort, sold at Christie’s London, 6th
November 2012, lot 94.

THE HEART OF TANTRA – BUDDHIST ART INCLUDING PROPERTY FROM THE NYINGJEI LAM COLLECTION 239