Provenance:
European Private Collection
American Private Collection
Published:
Pratapaditya Pal, Tibet. Tradition and Change, The Albuquerque Museum, 1997, pl. 41, p. 83
John C. Huntington and Dina Bangdel, The Circle of Bliss. Buddhist Meditational Art, Columbus Museum of Art, Serindia Publications, 2003, no. 17, pp. 108-109
Vairocana represents the totality of Buddhist enlightenment and the eternal Dharma, and he appears in many different manifestations. The form of Vairocana depicted here is identifiable by his distinctive teaching gesture, the bodhyangimudra (enlightenment attained quickly) alluding to the rapid Tantric path. This esoteric gesture, in which four fingers of the right hand encase the forefinger of the left hand, indicates that Vairocana has combined the four elements (earth, water, air, and fire) into one and thereby attained full enlightenment. A close examination of the gesture reveals that the forefinger of the left hand enters the palm of the right hand and emerges as the top of a vajra, above the right forefinger. The vajra symbolizes the final attainment of the adamantine state.
In this form, Vairocana is specifically called Maha-Vairocana, Great Intensely Luminescent One, and epitomizes transcendent insight into the realm of Dharma (dharmadhatu jnana). As the fifth Jina Buddha he is therefore the source of all Buddhas, and he is inherently present in every Buddha, Bodhisattva, Guru, and practitioner in the Tantric Buddhist practice. He sits majestically with his legs crossed in dhyanamudra. His radiant face still retains cold-gilded paint, and his features and expression are youthful and beatific. He is adorned with beaded anklets, dhoti with silks pleated between his legs, beaded bracelets, palmette armlets, jeweled collar, scarf, and five-leaf crown with billowing sashes at the sides. His hair is drawn up into a mountainous topknot with jeweled ornament at the summit.
