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Tibetan Chod Damaru A large 8" diameter wooden damaru, or two-headed drum from the 1800's. The drum is typically made of wood, with leather drum heads at both ends; the damaru might also be made entirely out of human skulls. The strikers are typically beads fastened to the ends of leather cords around the waist of the damaru. Knots in the leather can also be used as strikers, also crochet material is common. As the player waves the drum using a twisting wrist motion, the strikers beat on the drumhead. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the damaru is part of a collection of sacred implements and musical instrument was adopted from the tantric practices of ancient India. The 8" to 10" diameters are chod damaru. The chod drum is traditionally made of acacia wood (seng deng), though a variety of beautiful woods are acceptable, as long as the tree is not toxic and does not possess thorns or other negative attributes. The Chod drum is traditionally made of acacia wood (seng deng), though a variety of beautiful woods are acceptable, as long as the tree is not toxic and does not possess thorns or other negative attributes. Chöd is a spiritual practice found primarily in the Yundrung Bön tradition as well as in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Also known as "cutting through the ego," the practices are based on the Prajñāpāramitā or "Perfection of Wisdom" sutras, which expound the "emptiness" concept of Buddhist philosophy. The cloth and leather cords of this drum are recent. When searching the internet, I haven't come across any paintings of the drum heads. Yet, this chod damaru was once painted with a design at both sides of the drum; a design that faded over time. It is difficult to see in its normal state, but when the drum head are wetted, the colors are enhanced. The first two picture were taken when the drum was dry. The third and fourth picture were taken when wetted. The fifth picture was photoshopped to make the design more visible. The sixth picture is what I think the design originally looked like. I have never seen this design before. Maybe you know? The last picture shows how the leather was fastened to the wood, a method used in the 1700's and 1800s. Price: $ 200, shipping included. USA only. No international shipping. Check and money orders accepted.
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Double Dorje Throne or Wall Hanging A very large piece, about 4 feet square. This is a rare and unique vintage and excellent quality Varanasi silk brocade throne front cover with Double Dorje / cross vajra design. Joska Soos explained to me that the dorje or vajra is used for traveling and gaining knowledge about our solar system, and the double dorje for the universe outside the solar system. This can also be used as wall hanging. Throne covers are used in the monasteries, temples and meditation rooms, and also on a family altar too. Varanasi is known throughout India for its production of very fine silk and Banarasi saris. There are colorful strings at the bottom; and at the top it is possible to insert a wooden pole to hang up the fabric for use as a wall hanging. Hang it on your wall to create a serene and peaceful atmosphere, while also adding a unique and artistic element to your decor. Made with high-quality materials, this wall hanging is not only visually appealing but also durable and long-lasting. It was difficult to get a good picture of the entire wall hanging, as the extensive use of gold thread reflects the light. I have added pictures with details to give a better view of the high quality of the piece. Price: $200, shipping included, only for USA. No international shipping. Check and money orders accepted.
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The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide by Elena Pakhoutova and Christian Luczanits
The rare book is in excellent condition, no flaws except some yellowing at the edges. Never read. Price: $200, shipping included, only for USA. No international shipping. Check and money orders accepted. This book is the culmination of a long story that began with the acquisition of fifty-four paintings from an elderly priest, who had served in a Belgian mission in Inner Mongolia in the 1920s, by the Ethnographic Museum of Antwerp in 1977. The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide focuses on this extremely rare group of richly-detailed album leaves which illustrate the visualization practice of Sarvavid Vairocana, the All-Knowing Buddha. This beautifully illustrated step-by-step visual guide provides a unique glimpse into Tibetan Buddhist meditation and ritual, normally instruction restricted to oral transmission by a teacher to his initiated disciple. These practices are usually not meant to be depicted and this is one of the only albums known to exist in which the meditative visualization process is spelled out visually. While the ritual narrative of these unusual paintings is Tibetan Buddhist in content they are expressed in a vivid Chinese aesthetic, a unique product of cultural translation through its Mongolian patrons. The album exemplifies rich patterns of cross-cultural exchange that characterized the Qing Empire. Three essays by the Rubin Museum curators explore different aspects of Vairocana and contextualize the album, illustrated with approximately twenty-five images, followed by the leaves themselves which are featured in fifty-four full-page plates with accompanying commentary on their ritual and artistic content. For centuries, the esoteric, or hidden, tantric teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism, which involves complex visualizations and rituals, have been passed down in an unbroken lineage directly from teacher to student. Most of the time, the intricacies and deeper meaning of the practice being introduced were not written down or depicted in art. Everything was oral. A student had to receive his or her special instructions directly from the teacher. That is part of what makes this set of paintings unique. Some of these images illustrate hand gestures, or mudras, which involve the body as an enhancement of the mind’s visualization of specific Buddhas. While specific hand gestures are common in Himalayan art, hundreds more are only performed during rituals and were never illustrated in art from Tibet. This set of paintings gives instructions and diagrams for some of these specific mudras. Taken together, these images paint a compelling picture of what the state of enlightenment might actually look like, and how the activities of an enlightened being are performed. Some of the paintings:
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