Circa: late 19th-early 20th century
H.15.5 in.(39 cm), W.10.5 in.(27cm), D.8.5 in.(22cm)
Condition: very good!
Vajrasattva
(Japanese: Kongosattva) is the second patriarch of the Buddhist faith. He was
said to appeared eight hundred years after the Buddha's death, and presented the
scroll of "Great Sutra of the Two Principles" to the fourth patriarch Nagarjuna.
Hence the written history of Buddhism began. Vajrasattva
is often depicted seated with vajra scepter held in front of his heart. The vajra
is the symbol of compassion, and Vajrasattva personifies attainment of great bliss
consciousness --compassion. Not unlike Avalokiteshvara(Kuan Yin), Vajrasattva is a celestial Bodhisattva persists to help beings on earth. He is the Tantric male archetype deity, as Vajradhara
is the quintessential female of the Vajra Buddha clan. The
simplicity of this wood carving is an elegant example of the late Qing Buddhist
sculpture. With well carved braised hair falling on both shoulders, and an unusually
simple head bend for a Bodhisattva , Vajrasattva appearer youthful with great
charm. Seated in dhyanasana with contemplative down cast eyes, his upright posture
seems to project a vigor that lends much monumentality to the statue, creating
an impression of a bronze sculpture more than an antique wood carving that exceeds
a hundred years.