An inscribed gilt-bronze figure of Amoghapasa


Nepal, dated 1892 and of the periodThe Bodhisattva superbly cast with supple and sinuous body standing with serene expression beneath an elaborate crown, adorned with intricate beaded jewellery, the right hand held up with an upraised frontal gesture of explication vitarka mudra, the other arms radiating out form the shoulder holding various attributes or held in Buddhist mudras, the figure framed by a leafy floral mandorla, all raised on a tall stepped pedestal with a pair of Buddhist lions on the front, inscription on the reverse, fitted box. 41cm (16 1/4in) high (2).
|尼泊爾 1892年銘 銅鎏金千手觀音菩薩造像The reverse of the present figure has the following inscription:'śreyostu saṃmvat 1013 mti kāttika sudi 8 sa aṣṭami vartta yānāo suvarṇayā śrī 3 amoghapāsa lokeśvara murti dayakā''yala haṣadeva naniyā śākyavaṃsa dhanaviraju putra mānaju svaputra siṃgharājaju ratna thakūṃ sakala jāhāna parivāra samohana dharmmacita utapati juyāo dayakā jula śubha'The inscription may be translated as:'May it be auspicious! On the eighth day of the bright half of the Kārtika month of Nepal era 1013 (AD 1892), 'the ritual of the eighth day' (aṣṭamīvrata) was performed, for which [this] golden image of the great god Amoghapāśa Lokeśvara was created. Inspired by the desire for performing religious activities (dharmacitta), the entire family of Śākya Dhanaviraju, [the resident of] Haṣadeva Nani in Patan, [including ] his wife Ratna Thakūṃ, their son Mānaju and his own son (svaputra) Siṃgharājaju commissioned this image'.Translation by G.V. Vajracharya, September 2018The present figure depicts Amoghapasha, Lord of the Unerring Noose, tantric form of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara as it was conceived in the Kathmandu Valley. The name Amoghapasha, meaning unfailing lasso, refers to an unfailing compassion like a lasso that brings all sentient beings into a state of happiness leading to enlightenment. In 'History of Amoghapasha', a 12th century text, Sonam Tsemo refers to Amoghapasha as a nirmanakaya form of Lokeshvara. Texts describing the culto of Amoghapasa texts include the 'Arya Amoghapasha Kalparaja', 'Arya Amoghapasha Hridaya Nama Mahayana Sutra' and the 'Arya Amoghapasha Paramita Shatparipuraya Nama Dharani', all contained in the tantric section of Kangyur.