Fine Quality Oxidized Copper Alloy with Silver Plated 7" Vajrayogini on Mandala Statue

Vajrayogini Dakini on Mandala Statue

 Vajrayogini – The Dakini of Wisdom

Vajrayogini is a female Buddha and one of the principal meditational deities of the Highest Yoga Tantra. She is the female embodiment of the wisdom of the inseparability of great bliss and emptiness. Her practices are believed to have many special qualities and quickly bring powerful blessings and accomplishments. The instructions for her Tantric path were first taught in the Root Tantra of Heruka by Buddha Vajradhara.

Vajrayogini, the Queen of the Dakinis, stands as a powerful symbol of the sacred feminine in Tibetan, Buddhism. She holds a central place in Tibetan Buddhist rituals, festivals, and art. Her fierce and compassionate nature inspires practitioners to embrace the transformative journey toward enlightenment. Her image is often found in sculptures, thangkas, and sacred texts. Pilgrimages to temples and sacred sites associated with Vajrayogini are undertaken by devoted practitioners seeking spiritual guidance and blessings. Through rituals, meditations, and the embodiment of her enlightenment qualities, devotees of Vajrayogini seek to awaken the innate wisdom and bliss within, ultimately realizing the profound union of method and wisdom on the path to liberation.

Gestures and Attributes

Vajrayogini's outstretched right leg treads on the breast of red Kalarati, the principal worldly goddess. Her bent left leg treads upon black Bhairabha, the principal worldly god. Vajrayogini treads on Kalarati and Bhairabha to demonstrate that she has destroyed her attachment, hatred, and ignorance, and to show that she is free from the fears of samsara and can lead all living beings to the same freedom.

Vajrayogini has a red-colored body that shines with a brilliance like that of a fire at the end of an aeon, symbolizing the blazing of her inner fire which destroys all delusion. She has three eyes, symbolizing her ability to see everything in the past, present, and future. She looks up toward the Pure Land of the Dakinis, indicating that she leads her followers to high attainments, including the attainment of great bliss. Her right hand, outstretched and pointing downwards, holds a curved knife marked with a Vajra, representing her power to cut the continuum of the delusions and obstacles of all living beings. Her left hand, held aloft, contains a skull cup filled with blood, which symbolizes her experience of the clear light of bliss, and her victory over death.

Her left shoulder supports a Khatanga marked with a Vajra, indicating that she is never separated from her consort Heruka. She is in the prime of her youth and her beautiful hair hangs freely down her back, symbolizing that she is free from the fetters of self-grasping. Her headdress is adorned with five human skulls which represent Vajrayogini's purified aggregates. Her purified inner winds are symbolized by her long necklace of fifty human skulls. She stands in the center of a blazing fire of exalted wisdom, and she is supported by a lotus symbolizing the complete purity of her body, speech, and mind.

About this Sculpture

This exquisite statue, meticulously crafted from Copper Alloy through the revered lost wax method, stands as a captivating portrayal of Vajrayogini Dakini. The masterful hand-carving and subsequent oxidation process with Silver Plating bestow upon it a finish that is not only rich but also sensuously alluring.

The intricate details of the statue, from the meticulously carved ornaments, necklaces, armlets, and anklets to the frame behind the figure, highlight the impeccable craftsmanship of the master artisans. Vajrayogini Dakini, elegantly poised on a Mandala base, introduces another layer of symbolism to the sculpture. The Mandala itself is adorned with a mesmerizing design of three encircles — a skull circle in the innermost, Vajra circles in the middle, and outer circles embellished with winding vines.

Enhancing the Mandala's charm is a hand-carved design featuring three skulls, contributing to the overall beauty of the sculpture. The harmonious combination of oxidation and silver plating not only enriches the statue's appearance but also infuses it with a vibrant and lifelike quality.

Individually crafted in Patan, Nepal, by master artisans of the esteemed Shakya clan, globally recognized as among the finest, this sculpture represents a continuation of a centuries-old tradition. These craftsmen, as modern heirs to this legacy, specialize in creating sacred art for temples and monasteries. The fine metalworking techniques employed in its creation have been passed down through generations since ancient times, adding profound historical and cultural significance to this exceptional work of art.