1992.42 Mahasiddha | DMA Staging Content Management System

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The mahasiddhas are a group of Indian Tantric practitioners (predominantly from the 8th to 11th centuries), most of whom overcame great obstacles such as poverty, sickness, and advanced age to attain enlightenment through Tantric meditations taught to them by gurus who were often mahasiddhas themselves. This bronze shows a Tantric mahasiddha with his hands in the position of teaching the Dharma (dharmachakra mudra). He is seated on a lotus throne with his legs partially crossed. The throne, together with the golden third eye, signify that he has attained enlightenment, transcended the world of birth and death, and is now present in the world only to teach and guide living beings. The medallion in the center of this mahasiddha's chest with its jeweled chains crossing from his shoulders symbolizes the Tantric yogi's "yoke," which indicates he or she attained enlightenment through yoking his or her mind to the powerful practices and austerities of the Tantric path. It is difficult to identify this figure specifically, as he has only generic features such as the position of his hands and legs, his ornaments, and his throne. Many famous mahasiddhas have distinct iconographic markers that facilitate identification.

Adapted from

Robert Warren Clark, "Mahasiddha," in The Arts of India, South East Asia, and the Himalayas, Anne R. Bromberg (Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013), 167.

NOTES

Catalogue essays

Tibetan Sculpture

The Arts of India, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas at the Dallas Museum of Art

Artist/designers

Cultures

Geography

Process/materials

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms

Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism

Mudras

RELATED OBJECTS

PROVENANCE

1992: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Alta Brenner

The main source for this provenance is the copy of the Deed of Gift in the Collections Records object file.

AUDIO ASSETS

VIDEO ASSETS

IMAGE ASSETS

WEB RESOURCES

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Met~Read more about Tibetan Buddhist art.

ARCHIVAL RESOURCES

FUN FACTS

TEACHING IDEAS

RULES

Apply to objects where number equals 1992.42

General Description

The mahasiddhas are a group of Indian Tantric practitioners (predominantly from the 8th to 11th centuries), most of whom overcame great obstacles such as poverty, sickness, and advanced age to attain enlightenment through Tantric meditations taught to them by gurus who were often mahasiddhas themselves. This bronze shows a Tantric mahasiddha with his hands in the position of teaching the Dharma (dharmachakra mudra). He is seated on a lotus throne with his legs partially crossed. The throne, together with the golden third eye, signify that he has attained enlightenment, transcended the world of birth and death, and is now present in the world only to teach and guide living beings. The medallion in the center of this mahasiddha's chest with its jeweled chains crossing from his shoulders symbolizes the Tantric yogi's "yoke," which indicates he or she attained enlightenment through yoking his or her mind to the powerful practices and austerities of the Tantric path. It is difficult to identify this figure specifically, as he has only generic features such as the position of his hands and legs, his ornaments, and his throne. Many famous mahasiddhas have distinct iconographic markers that facilitate identification.

Adapted from

Robert Warren Clark, "Mahasiddha," in The Arts of India, South East Asia, and the Himalayas, Anne R. Bromberg (Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013), 167.

Fun Facts

Archival Resources

Web Resources