Page 146 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art November 2018

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AN INSCRIBED GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF AMOGHAPASA
Nepal, dated 1892 and of the period
The Bodhisattva superbly cast with supple and sinuous body standing
with serene expression beneath an elaborate crown, adorned with
intricate beaded jewellery, the right hand held up with an upraised
frontal gesture of explication vitarka mudra, the other arms radiating
out form the shoulder holding various attributes or held in Buddhist
mudras, the figure framed by a leafy floral mandorla, all raised on a tall
stepped pedestal with a pair of Buddhist lions on the front, inscription
on the reverse, fitted box. 41cm (16 1/4in) high (2).

£40,000 - 60,000
CNY360,000 - 540,000

尼泊爾 一八九二年銘 銅鎏金千手觀音菩薩造像

The reverse of the present figure has the following inscription: The present figure depicts Amoghapasha, Lord of the Unerring Noose,
tantric form of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara as it was conceived in
‘śreyostu saṃmvat 1013 mti kāttika sudi 8 sa aṣṭami vartta yānāo the Kathmandu Valley. The name Amoghapasha, meaning unfailing
suvarṇayā śrī 3 amoghapāsa lokeśvara murti dayakā’ lasso, refers to an unfailing compassion like a lasso that brings all
sentient beings into a state of happiness leading to enlightenment. In
‘yala haṣadeva naniyā śākyavaṃsa dhanaviraju putra mānaju ‘History of Amoghapasha’, a 12th century text, Sonam Tsemo refers to
svaputra siṃgharājaju ratna thakūṃ sakala jāhāna parivāra samohana Amoghapasha as a nirmanakaya form of Lokeshvara. Texts describing
dharmmacita utapati juyāo dayakā jula śubha’ the culto of Amoghapasa texts include the ‘Arya Amoghapasha
Kalparaja’, ‘Arya Amoghapasha Hridaya Nama Mahayana Sutra’ and
The inscription may be translated as: the ‘Arya Amoghapasha Paramita Shatparipuraya Nama Dharani’, all
contained in the tantric section of Kangyur.
‘May it be auspicious! On the eighth day of the bright half of the Kārtika
month of Nepal era 1013 (AD 1892), ‘the ritual of the eighth day’
(aṣṭamīvrata) was performed, for which [this] golden image of the great
god Amoghapāśa Lokeśvara was created. Inspired by the desire for
performing religious activities (dharmacitta), the entire family of Śākya
Dhanaviraju, [the resident of] Haṣadeva Nani in Patan, [including ]
his wife Ratna Thakūṃ, their son Mānaju and his own son (svaputra)
Siṃgharājaju commissioned this image’.

Translation by G.V. Vajracharya, September 2018

(inscription)

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
142 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.