Gold-Gilded Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche)
Material: Bronze
Origin: Nepal
Height: 36 cm
Code: VS-001
Padmasambhava is an Indian mystic who travelled to Tibet in the 8th century to propagate tantrayana. "padma" means lotus, "sambhava" means born from or originate from. This name came about because legend has it that he was born out of a lotus in a land of oddiyana (a place that is in today's Pakistan) on the lake of dhanakosha. In trantric teachings, he was a manifestation of Buddha Amitabha. While Buddha Sakyamuni expounded teachings in the sutra vehicle, Padmasambhava taught trantrayana. He carries different names, one common name is Guru Rinpoche (the precious teacher), because his teachings personify the guru principle. He is also widely considered as the second Buddha by tantric practitioners of the Nyingma school in Tibet. While teaching in Tibet, Padmasambhava had a huge following of disciples, amongst them are the 25 main disciples. He also wrote many practice texts which were taught to these main disciples and sunequently hidden (termas) for the benefit of future generation of tantric practitioners.
Padmasambhava takes numerous different forms, with the key eight manifestations being most often seen. This statue depicts one of his manifestations, Pema Jungne, a peaceful form of the teacher. He is seated on a half lotus pedestal with his right leg stretched out akin to a monarch. He wears a signature lotus crown and three robes with elaborately engraved borders. His eyes stared into space and he spots a mustache and small beard. His right hand holds a thunderbolt (vajra or dorje) and rests on his right knee. His left hand rests on a meditative mudra and holds a skull-cup filled with nectar and a long-life vase on top. He has a trident (Khatvanga) that rests on his left shoulder.