Amoghapasha [Tib.: don yod pa’i zhags pa - དོན་ཡོད་པའི་ཞགས་པ་] is an aspect of Avalokiteshvara called the one with the »unfailing lasso« a characteristic attribute that the holds here in his upper left hand. The Tibetan inscription of his mantra, scattered around his image, further helps to establish the identification.
In this unusual and rare four-armed form, Amoghapasha is depicted sitting in a relaxed pose, his left leg pendent, the foot resting on a lotus pad. His right leg is bent. The first right hand, raised in the gesture of argumentation [»vitarka mudra«], holds a rosary, while the second one grasps the branch of an unidentified plant bearing small flowers. The first left hand, placed on his thigh, holds the stalk of a fully open lotus flower that is level with his face, right next to the lasso.
A third eye is visible on his forehead, and a small effigy of Buddha Amitabha appears against his towering coiffure [unfortunately barely recognizable anymore]. A small stupa is depicted on the right at eye level. Like several other Indian sculptures or paintings from Dunhuang depicting Amoghapasha, this one does not conform exactly to the various iconographic descriptions given in textual sources. On stylistic grounds, this small image reflects a strong Kashmiri aesthetic, specifically, in the treatment of the physiognomic and facial features, the tall ascetic chignon, and the jewelry, which are also found on existing Kashmiri bronzes.
This clay plaque, recovered from Western Tibet, constitutes a particularly noteworthy example of a Tsa Tsa from the later spread Buddhism of [tenpa chidar - late 10th 13th cent.]. Made using a mold, this type of image was abundantly produced in the Tibetan world. The ritual of making Tsa Tsas spread to Tibet beginning in the second half of the eighth century. However, it was only at the end of the tenth century that this practice of Indian origin underwent major developments in Tibet, as evidenced by archaeological findings and by the copious ritual literature.
Like several other Indian sculptures or paintings from depicting Amoghapasha, this one does not conform exactly to the various iconographic descriptions given in textual sources.
Origin: Guge, Ngari region, Western Tibet, 11th – 12th cent.
Condition: Excellent [for its age]. There are two areas of damage at the bottom left and a smaller one at the bridge of the nose.
Source: Kunsang Namgyal-Lama, Rubin Museum, New York
Comparisation with the same Tsa Tsa im Rubin Museums, New York
| Video explanation from Himalayan Art Ressourses: Amoghapasha |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Measurements: | 3.6 x 2.4 x 0.9" | 9.1 x 6.0 x 2.3 cm |
| Price: | on request |
| Shipment: | Parcel Service from Germany |
| Material: | Burned Clay |
| Age: | 11th – 12th century |
| High resolution: | Display [1.3 MB, 1505 x 2404 px.] |
