AN ORACLE MIRROR

Estimated Value:

900 € - 1.500 €

Result:

1.942 € incl. Premium and VAT

Description:

Tibet, 19th c.
D. 22,3 cm
This oracle mirror consists of a rim embossed with ornaments. On it are metell applications of four dry skulls and four demon faces. The interior of the melong is made of polished metal (silver?) with the syllable "hrih", made of brass, fixed in the centre, which is used to invoke the oracle deity. The Nechung-Kuten presided over the monastery as abbot, from the 19th century he was followed by the Nechung-Rinpoche and the Nechung-Depa as those responsible for the administration. On 4 September 1987, Thubten Ngödrub, Lama of Nechung since 1971, became the 17th Kuten. Brass, silver copper.
From an old and important German private collection, collected between 1950 and 1987, collection number R 75
First and foremost, the oracle mirror is the main attribute of the oracle deity Pehar. The practice of oracle was introduced by the Bon and the Nyingma tradition. Since then, throughout the Himalayan region, the practice of oracle has played a major role: the supreme deity of the oracle is Pehar, who was appointed by Padmasambhava and commissioned as the protector of Samye Monastery. His later headquarters became the Nechung monastery. According to his autobiography, the following account of the Dalai Lama is found there: "On 10 March 1959, a large number of Lhasa residents gathered in front of the Norbulingka to defend the Dalai Lama against the Chinese. Tensions between Tibetans and Chinese increased. Despite the Dalai Lama's request that the crowd withdraw, many people remained in the square. In this situation, the Dalai Lama consulted the oracle, who told him to stay and continue dialogue with the Chinese, whereupon he doubted this decision for the first time. In the following days, Ngabo Ngawang Jigme informed the Dalai Lama that the People's Liberation Army was preparing to attack the crowd and bombard Norbulingka. On 17 March, the Dalai Lama again turned to the oracle, who, to his astonishment, said "Go! Go! Tonight!" it cried. It stepped forward to write down clearly and in detail the route the Dalai Lama would have to take from Norbulingka to the border. As the oracle fainted, two mortar shells exploded in the marsh near the North Gate. In retrospect, the Dalai Lama is convinced that Dorje Drakden (Pehar) knew from the beginning that he had to leave Lhasa on 17 March, but that he did not announce this immediately to prevent rumours from spreading. He notes that the mo, another form of divination, confirmed the oracle's advice - Minor traces of age

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