Khatvanga Ritual Staff, 18th century
Unknown artist, Chinaexpand_more
Silver, gold and turquoiseexpand_more
The Asian Art Miscellaneous Purchase Fund--Wynn Binger Memorialexpand_more 2004.29.4
On View in Gallery 212expand_more
A tantric staff, or khatvanga, is a ritual instrument held in the crook of the left arm of advanced Tantric (esoteric) Buddhist practitioners during ceremonies. It symbolizes the triumph of wisdom over illusion. The shaft terminates in a vajra, the thunderbolt of instant enlightenment. Above are three impaled heads in varying states of decay: a skull, or “dry” head, signals the conquest of ignorance; the “damp” head signals the victory over hate; and the “fresh-cut” head signals the stopping of desire. The arrangement also symbolizes the lifecycle and the attainment of pure body, speech, and mind. Below is a vajra-cross, representing the four purified elements: earth, water, fire, and air. The round vase-like form contains the nectar of immortality, found in the perfection of wisdom and compassion.
Details
- Title
- Khatvanga Ritual Staff
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2004.29.4
- Curator Approved
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