Central Asia, Tibet, ca. 16th century CE. A gilded bronze statue of the revered Lama Rinpoche seated upon a low throne with his legs crossed. He holds a bottle of amrita and has his hands in the Bhumisparsa Mudra. His robes are well carved and his pose dynamic and naturalistic. Comes with custom stand. Size: 2.5" W x 4" H (6.4 cm x 10.2 cm)

The Bhumisparsa Mudra, the "earth witness", is one of the most iconic poses of Buddhism. His left palm is upright in his lap (holding the amrita) and his right hand reaches down past his robes - here depicted in a lifelike and flowing manner - to touch the earth. This mudra comes from the story of the Buddha asking Prthivi, the spirit of the earth, to witness the moment of his enlightenment when he was threatened by the king demon, Mara. This pose represents his victory over temptation, as well as the internal strength and commitment to enlightenment that the Buddha had.

The amrita in his hand is similar to the Greek concept of ambrosia, and is related to soma, the drink from the Rigveda which confers immortality on the gods. In Vajrayana Buddhism, the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, it is a sacramental drink consumed at the beginning of important rituals, and is associated with the monster Rahu who steals it and becomes immortal; his blood dripping to the earth causes medicinal plants to grow. Rahu eventually becomes known as a protector of Buddhism. In the Tibetan tradition, this drink is made from small, dark brown grains dissolved in water or very weak alcohol.



Provenance: Ex-Johnson Collection, Germany

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#119874

Age wear to the design with some losses to the gilt as shown.