Sarvabuddhadakini - (the “Dakini of all Buddhas”)
See it in the Museum
Room 1: India and Nepal
Orientation 3
Wall object 12
ABP 008
Code: ABP 008
Country: Tibet
Style:
Date: 1350 - 1450
Dimensions in cm WxHxD: 34.5 x 43
Materials: Gouache on cotton
Sarvabuddha Dakini, the “Dakini of all Buddhas”, surrounded by monks and teachers
She represents the essence of all the Buddhas is thus most powerful. She is also called Narodakini, because she manifested herself to the great Indian mahasiddha and teacher Naropa, (956-1040) in an initiatory vision. She is patroness of the Sakya school and an acolyte of Vajravarahi.
She resembles Vajrayogini and is considered to be an emanation of her. Her head is uptilted, poised to imbibe the blood that overflows her scull-cup, and her right hand brandishes a curved chopping knife (kartika). In the Indian context, her freely flowing hair is considered to be the mark of a yogic practitioner, especially one who cultivates tummo (the creation of heat). Buddhist exegetes interpret the unbound tresses as a sign that her mind is free from restricting concepts. Her crown of five skulls represents her transformation of the five aspects of selfhood into the five transcendental insights of a Buddha. Her garland of fifty severed heads symbolizes her freedom from impure thought. Her bone ornaments represent five of the six perfections of a bodhisattva. Her body itself represents the sixth perfection, wisdom, which all female deities implicitly personify. She carries a khatvanga (staff). The mystical staff indicates that she is not celibate and has integrated eroticism into her spiritual path, mastering the art of transmuting pleasure into transcendent bliss.
She represents the essence of all the Buddhas is thus most powerful. She is also called Narodakini, because she manifested herself to the great Indian mahasiddha and teacher Naropa, (956-1040) in an initiatory vision. She is patroness of the Sakya school and an acolyte of Vajravarahi.
She resembles Vajrayogini and is considered to be an emanation of her. Her head is uptilted, poised to imbibe the blood that overflows her scull-cup, and her right hand brandishes a curved chopping knife (kartika). In the Indian context, her freely flowing hair is considered to be the mark of a yogic practitioner, especially one who cultivates tummo (the creation of heat). Buddhist exegetes interpret the unbound tresses as a sign that her mind is free from restricting concepts. Her crown of five skulls represents her transformation of the five aspects of selfhood into the five transcendental insights of a Buddha. Her garland of fifty severed heads symbolizes her freedom from impure thought. Her bone ornaments represent five of the six perfections of a bodhisattva. Her body itself represents the sixth perfection, wisdom, which all female deities implicitly personify. She carries a khatvanga (staff). The mystical staff indicates that she is not celibate and has integrated eroticism into her spiritual path, mastering the art of transmuting pleasure into transcendent bliss.