Page 25 - Christies Indian and Himalayan Art Sept 2015

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The worship of the Buddhist deity Chakrasamvara, which translates as
Wheel of Bliss, began in Eastern India in the 9th and 10th centuries as
part of the Anuttarayoga Wisdom (mother) classifcation of Vajrayana
Buddhist Tradition. Many scholars contend that Samvara arises out of a
pre-Buddhist deity, as the presence of a third eye and the crescent moon
in his hair, as well as his accoutrements, including a trident, damaru,
outstretched elephant skin and the head of Brahma, are all associated
with the god Shiva. One of the most popular deities in Himalayan Tantric
Buddhism, Chakrasamvara can appear in several dozen different forms,
from simple to complex, peaceful to wrathful. It is thus necessary to rely on Art at the Museum Rietberg Zurich, 1995, p.168-169, cat no.112.
the descriptive literature in the Sanskrit and Tibetan languages to identify
his particular forms. Adding to the complexity, there are more than ffty
different traditions of these forms in Tibetan Buddhism. They are meant
to emphasize different types of meditation practice that are suited for
specifc types of emotional and psychological characteristics in the tantric
practitioners who take on these intricate practices.
For a closely related example which illustrates the slender and refned
proportions of Chakrasamvara bronzes from the 17th century, see H. Uhlig,
On The Path to Enlightenment: The Berti Aschmann Foundation of Tibetan
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