At the center of this very old tsa tsa, which is at least 800 years old, stands the dominant figure of Achala [Tib. Miyowa, pronounced mi-gyo-ba - མི་གཡོ་བ] Achala is an emanation of the transcendent Tathagata Akshobhya. The Sanskrit name Achala means »mountain« or literally »immovable«.
The term »Krodharaja« literally means »king of wrath«. In Buddhism, it refers to a category of wrathful deities.
Ten »Devas« [lesser deities] are depicted as his retinue to his left and right [see detail 4]. They belong to the Achalas family, but are subordinate to him. These deities are not to be understood in terms of negative, harmful anger, but as manifestations of enlightened beings [Buddhas and Bodhisattvas] who take on wrathful aspects to overcome obstacles on the path to enlightenment and destroy ignorance, attachment and hatred.
Achala is depicted standing in a lunge on the back of Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom in Hinduism. In Buddhism, Ganesha is viewed differently. and is seen as a symbol of avarice that tempts people to hoard earthly treasures. However, this depiction is not intended to portray Ganesha as defeated or powerless. Rather, it is a symbol for overcoming obstacles and negativity.
Achala waves a sword [»khadga«] in his raised right hand with which the four basic evils of ignorance, desire, hatred and egoism are to be destroyed. His left hand holds a noose [»pasa«], an attribute mainly of wrathful deities, to banish the enemies of Buddhism.
The background features a wave-like pattern. To the left of Achala's lower leg are the Tibetan letters »Ah« and »Hum«.
Origin: The light color of the clay used clearly proves that the tsa tsa originally comes from western Tibet.
Condition: Although its advanced age has left its mark, with the exception of some small missing parts on both the right and left edges, the tsa tsa is still in very good condition. As is often the case with comparable old tsa tsas, there is no abrasion on the surface. Click on »High resolution« below to see more detail than is shown on the first page.
| Example in a Chinese Specialist Publication |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Measurements: | 4.1 x 2.9 x 1.1" | 10.5 x 7.4 x 2.7 cm |
| Price: | 519 $ | 440 € |
| Shipment: | Parcel Service from Germany |
| Material: | Burned Clay |
| Origin:: | West Tibet Tibet |
| Age: | 11th - 12th cent. |
| Preservation: | History |
| High resolution: | Display [0.8 MB, 2330 x 3137 px.] |
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