A GROUP OF THREE INLAID SILVER TIBETAN BUDDHIST RITUAL INSTRUMENTS, KARTIKA, PHURBA, AND VAJRA

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A GROUP OF THREE INLAID SILVER TIBETAN BUDDHIST RITUAL INSTRUMENTS, KARTIKA, PHURBA, AND VAJRA Himalayan regions, 20th century. Each finely crafted and richly inlaid with turquoise, coral, lapis lazuli, and rubies. (3) The kartika (flaying knife) with characteristic crescent-shaped iron blade issuing from the jaws of a stylized dragon, the upper edge of the gaping mouth articulated with avian motifs. The body set with substantial turquoise and coral inlays, while the pommel is formed by four bone-inlaid Hayagriva faces surmounted by elaborately detailed foliate crowns and topped by a horse head. The phurba (dagger) with a pointed, three-faced iron blade, with its shaft and pommel adorned in a manner consistent with the kartika, and surmounted by one terminal of a double vajra. The vajra (thunderbolt) centered by a compressed globular knop flanked by stylized lotus petals, issuing at either end into a four-pronged form emerging from a central column, embellished with dense beaded borders and prominent gemstone inlays. The blades of both the kartika and the phurba inscribed on each face with the ritual mantra ‘Om Ah Hum’. Dimensions: Length 22.2 cm (the phurba), 20.3 cm (the kartika), and 9.7 cm (the vajra) Ritual utensils constitute the essential instruments of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism practice. Employed within liturgical and meditative contexts, they serve as symbolic and functional means to dispel the obscurations and delusions that hinder the path to enlightenment. Among the most significant of these are: The kartika, is a ritual knife, also referred to as a chopper or flaying knife, distinguished by its characteristic crescent-shaped blade. Employed in tantric rites and frequently depicted in the hands of wrathful deities, it symbolizes the cutting through of ignorance and ego-clinging. Often paired with a skull cup representing wisdom, the flaying knife symbolizes the skillful means necessary in Buddhist practice. This pairing of objects is designed to shock practitioners into realizing the implications of letting go of all their attachments. The phurba, known in Sanskrit as kila, is a ritual dagger conceived as a symbolic instrument for subduing and transforming the poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion that obstruct spiritual progress. In tantric iconography and practice, it embodies the enlightened activity of Vajrakilaya, a wrathful manifestation empowered to overcome obstacles and negative forces. Its ritual function was first articulated in the Vajrakilaya Tantra, a Vajrayana scripture traditionally dated to the eighth century or earlier, in which the implement served as a powerful means of consecration, protection, and spiritual transformation. The vajra, a symbol of indestructibility and power, is one of the primary ritual symbols in Tibetan Buddhism. Derived from Sanskrit and translating to both ‘thunderbolt’ and ‘diamond’, the vajra consists of two sets of prongs from which lotus petals emanate, flanking a central sphere. Often used in combination with a bell, which represents feminine wisdom, the vajra symbolizes the masculine attribute of skillful means or compassion. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Dunbar Sloane, Wellington, 6 April 2023, lot 0944 Price: NZD 6,701.75 or approx. EUR 3,600 (for one) converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, craftsmanship, and decoration with similar inlays. Note the size (25 cm).

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