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Lot
Number
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B000030 |
| Lot
Title |
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Tibetan Gilt Copper Figure of Six-Armed (Sadbhuja) Mahakala |
| Date
of Origin |
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19 Century |
| Country
of Origin |
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China Tibet |
| Material
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Gilt Copper |
| Measurements |
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17 x 13 cm |
| Lot
Quantity |
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1 |
| Estimate |
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| Description:
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I was instantly fascinated by this Six-Armed (Sadbhuja) Mahakala when I first saw his incredible style and gilding, but I did not buy it at first visit. Weeks later, after I got back from China, I dropped by the place again and asked the owner to see if he could lower the price any. The owner said he bought this statue with other articles years ago for over NTD120K, however, he sold some other collections and made some money, so he could lower some for this one, but not too much. The owner is quite energetic and rugged in shape and very easy to get along with, allowed me take this statue back home by only putting small down payment, so I decided immediately to buy it. The owner generously gave me a beautiful stand to put the sculpture on. On the way back home, with this superb Six-Armed (Sadbhuja) Mahakala, I saw several other spectaculars Buddha (see other lots), really wonderful.
This Six-Armed (Sadbhuja) Mahakala also called as Fiercely Wrathful God, is one of the major and worshipped guardian gods of Shangpa Kagyu from Kagyu school of Tibet. This guardian god is standing on a reversed lotus pedestal. With one face, six arms, and four feet. Wearing a crown adorned with skulls, hair glowing upwards as flames, three furious eyes wide open, a gapping red mouth with sharp and fierce fangs protruded. Adorned snakes entwined in the hair and body, earrings, bracelets, anklets and a garland of freshly severed heads. Wearing a tiger skin skirt tied with a sash at the waist.
The main right hand holds aloft a curved ritual dagger with a vajra handle. The main left hand holds a blood filled skull bowl (Kapila). Other hands hold either trident sword (lost), lasso (lost), rosary, and pulling elephant skin downward. With this right leg slightly bent and left straight in cruising mode. The feet with sharp and elongated toenails trampled on a supine body with elephant head (Vinayaka) – the symbol of Mammon (the god of wealth). The Vinayaka right hand holds a skull bowl (kapila), and left hand grabs a three-leaved radish. We have to meditate internally that the only one leaf of the radish equals the sum of the fortune and wealth in the whole universe. If we always think this way, it will surely help increase our wealth. The guardian god is not trampled on the Vinayaka because of hatred, instead the Vinayaka is actually help Mahakala as an associate and companion to complete his mission. The whole sculpture is made with spectaculars style, very vigor and elaborate in details, it is really a superb craftsmanship of works. |
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| Condition
and Additional Specification: |
The bronze is in an excellent state of preservation. While the high points of the gilding are somewhat rubbed, as can easily be seen in the photos, most of the original gilding remains. The details are incised and well delineated. There is some minor encrustation under the base which was left un-gilt, and on the recessed areas in the back of the sculpture.
「六臂大黑天」乃「千手千眼、十一面觀世音」之化身，因菩薩思惟眾生難度之因，皆由魔所纏擾，於是化現「瑪哈嗄拉伏魔本尊」，內懷徹骨之大悲，外現無比之威猛相。〔內有傳〕說：「六臂大黑天」原是印度教之魔神，「觀世音」入其神識，故成佛教之護法、「觀世音」之化身。平常隨侍觀音，三十二應救苦救難，有「五方五色瑪哈嗄拉」、具有息、增、懷、誅四種事業法。
五色蛇飾莊嚴。藍蛇挽髮，高盤于頂。紅蛇纏垂兩耳作耳墜。白蛇圍頸為項鍊。兩肩盤黑白蛇作飾。兩臂黃蛇纏繞作釧。腰繫白蛇作帶；延帶有綠蛇下垂作緒。兩脚白蛇纏之。
披象皮披風，以五十人頭作項珠，下著虎皮皮裙，手足粗獷，形極可畏。足踏白色象頭王，一面二臂，右托盈血顱器，左執蘿蔔。雙脚以巡遊姿立於蓮花日座上。或有以右屈左伸威立姿者。
據「觀世音菩薩」所發深宏誓願，修持「六臂瑪哈嗄拉」能降服、救度未法時期中逐漸惡化之眾生；能守護眾生，脫離中陰身之苦；能解除眾生生活的艱困及貧窮，圓滿眾生一切善願。「瑪哈嗄拉」是佛法中最重要之智慧護法，宜秘密供養、修持，則其加持迅速，日夜不斷。 |
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