Object Details
Culture
Tibet
Date
Late 17th century
Medium
Gilt bronze with pigments, inlaid with turquoise and coral
Dimensions
7 1/2 x 6 inches (19.1 x 15.2 cm)
Credit Line
Museum Purchase from funds made available by Deane Malott
Object
Number
61.052
According to Buddhist scriptures, soon after attaining enlightenment the Buddha manifested thirty-tw(…)
According to Buddhist scriptures, soon after attaining enlightenment the Buddha manifested thirty-two major and eight minor characteristics. One of these features was the ushnisha, a cranial protuberance that served as a physical reminder of his heightened intelligence. A feminine deity of Tibetan Buddhism, Ushnishavijaya is the deification of this distinctive mark of the Buddha. Her name means “victorious goddess of the Ushnisha,” a title referring to her exceptional intelligence.Here, she is seated in a meditative pose, with both legs folded and the soles of her feet visible. She has three heads, each manifesting a third eye and showing a sweet and benign expression. Each of her eight hands is either in the form of a mudra (a gesture) that symbolizes forces of nature and the nature and function of the deity, or holds an implement representing her spiritual powers.
