THE TRANSCENDENT BUDDHA VAIROCANA

Description:

Tibet, 15th ct,
H. 11 cm
Very fine and noble representation of the primordial Buddha Vairocana - "creator of radiant light". The fivefold division of the Tathagata Mandala finds its origin in the primordial consciousness symbolised by the Adibuddha Vairocana. All the qualities of the five Buddha families are united in him, as in the white light that breaks down into several colours when refracted. In the splitting into individual aspects, various Buddha families arise from the primordial Buddha, which - all together - represent the five components of the human personality. These five components are: Form; Perception, Power, Will and Consciousness. Opposed to them as passions are: Ignorance, pride, lust, jealousy and anger, which can be overcome by the wisdom of the Tathagatas and their powers of action. To these five components and the five passions are the five colours: White, Blue, Yellow, Red and Green, which in turn correspond to the body colours of the five Tathagatas. Vairocana is the overcomer of anger. Just as the colour white can be clear radiant or dull, anger can bring forth destructive or constructive energies. With Vairocana's wisdom, the practitioner can detach the destructive forces from anger and use the constructive ones to develop a clear and focused consciousness to overcome insecurity, ignorance and self-destructive habit patterns. The royal appearance of the Tathagata, with crown and jewellery, points to his supernatural appearance in the pleasure body of the Sambhogakaya, the realm of "Pure Forms". The Fivefold Crown expresses the spiritual connectedness of all Tathagatas. Its four faces point to the four cardinal directions. As an element, Vairocana symbolises space or the ether. He appears with a naked torso, clad only in a dhoti, and dressed in the sixfold jewellery (paramitas). In this sculpture, Vairocana appears in the quality of being of the Tathagata Akshobhya, holding the latter's attribute - the upright diamond sceptre (vajra) - instead of the Dharmacakra, in his hands held meditatively in his lap. In painting, this emanation of Vairocana would possibly be depicted in blue - the iconographic colour of Akshobhya. The Buddha Akshobhya is associated with the level of consciousness that experiences its realisation in the Dharmakaya at the heart centre. Man creates the greatest opposition in the mind through the vice of hatred, which separates him from any possibility of unification. From it arises the crass dualism and rejection which destroys the path to peace of mind. In meditating on Akshobhya, the disciple should attain the "mirror-like wisdom" in which all opposites prove to be illusion. In the mirror of knowledge, the opposites fall back into themselves, and any reason for the duality of accepting and rejecting becomes void. Vairocana's wisdom is the "All-Encompassing Wisdom of the Dharma Sphere", whereby the obstacles of ignorance are overcome. Copper alloy, fire-gilt, few turquoises, Base plate preserved with swastika.
Old German private collection, bought in the 1990s
Minor wear, very slightly chipped