Art Institute of Chicago
Vajradhara Buddha Seated Holding a Thunderbolt (Vajra) and Bell (Ghanta)
Tibet
- Date
- 15th century
- Medium
- Silver and semiprecious stones
- Culture
- Southern Tibet
- Department
- Arts of Asia
- Institution
- Art Institute of Chicago
This silver figure, though adorned like a bodhisattva, is more likely the Buddha Vajradhara. It probably served as the center of a three-dimensional mandala. The Buddha sits in the meditation posture while holding a vajra (thunderbolt) and bell in a gesture known as vajrahumkara (the adamantine sound). Certain sects of Himalayan Buddhism consider Vajradhara the creator and supreme power. He is the originator of the Five Transcendental Buddhas and embodies shunyata (voidness).
The authoritative record is held by Art Institute of Chicago. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
Linked open data
Authority identifiers that link this record into the wider web of cultural data — stable references you can follow to the source.
- Object type
- AAT300301253
Related across collections
Semantically similar works from Art Institute of Chicago and other institutions.
Vajradhara Seated Holding a Thunderbolt (Vajra) and Bell (Ghanta)
Art Institute of Chicago
Tantric Buddha Vairochana as Vajrasattva
Cleveland Museum of Art
Vajrasattva
Cleveland Museum of Art
Vajrasattva Seated on Lotus Flower with Hands Grasping a Thunderbolt (Vajra) and Bell (Ghanta) with Thunderbolt Handle
Art Institute of Chicago
Bodhisattva Vajraraksha
Cleveland Museum of Art
Buddhist Deity Vajrasattva with Bell (Ghanta) and Thunderbolt (Vajra)
Art Institute of Chicago
Thangka of Vajrakila and Diptachakra
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Buddha Shakyamuni with Attendants
Art Institute of Chicago
Bodhisattva Vajrapani
Cleveland Museum of Art
Five-pronged vajra
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Vajrapani
Cleveland Museum of Art
Vajradhara, Nairatmya, and mahasiddhas Virupa and Kanha
Cleveland Museum of Art