佛像鉴定鉴赏收藏

尺寸：不详
年代：10世纪早期
质地：黑石雕(Carved black basalt)
风格：印度 帕拉
来源：伦敦V&A博物馆
参阅：外部链接
鉴赏：
This sculpture shows the Bodhisattva Vajrapani seated in the royal-ease (‘ajalilasana) posture on a lion-supported throne. (A bodhisattva is the name given to one on the path to becoming a buddha.). The handsome figure - beautifully poised, relaxed and dignified - is a classic expression of this royal posture.

He wears princely ornaments appropriate to a bodhisattva, including a four-tiered crown surmounted by a half vajra (thunderbolt), large ear ornaments, a torque and elaborate upper arm-bands. His right hand holds a vajra, the major symbol of his identity, to his chest. A further symbol, the blue lotus, blooms at his left shoulder.

The throne-back is adorned with rearing lions and fantastic makara heads, while female celestial beings (kinnari) appear above. Behind Vajrapani’s head is an oval aureole surmounted by an umbrella of honour. A devanagari script inscription in the nimbus cites Buddhist creeds. This is undated, but a companion panel of the Goddess Tara in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, has a dedicatory inscription dated to the first year of the rule of Gopaladeva II (equivalent to 910 CE).

Vajrapani, or at least his use of the thunderbolt sceptre symbol (vajra), is generally seen as having evolved from Indra, the ancient Vedic storm god. The vajra was therefore associated with a lightning strike. It was seen as a divine weapon and was used in Hindu tantrism where it was associated specifically with driving away evil forces and with vigour and the linga (the phallic symbol of the god Shiva). In Buddhist Vajrayana rites it was also seen as the indestructible element. This ancient symbol also found expression in the trisula, Shiva’s trident, to which it is related.