South Asia: Pala Sculpture and Painting
Artist: unknown
Title: The Adi Buddha Hevajra
Material: stone
Site: Rajsaha District Bangladesh(?)
Current Location: Dakha Museum, Bangladesh
Period/Date: ca. 12 th. century
Iconography/Iconology: Hevajra and his prajna Nairatma are manifestations
of class of deities that become very prominent in the ninth century. They
are known as Heukas after the proper name of one of the earliest of the
type and are known as istadevatas (chosen gods). In Buddhist methodologies,
a teacher will assign an istadevata to his desciple and it is the istadevata's
responsibility to guide the desciple to enlightenment. The iconography of
these figures and their attendants is a detailed map of the yogic process
through which the desciple will achieve enlightenment. The figure of Nairatma
embracing Hevajra and in the act of intercourse is indicative of their symbolism.
The prajna, or female, represents both the perfection of wisdom (Prajnaparamita)
and the attainment of universality (sunyata). The male represents both compassion
(karuna) and skillful means (upaya). Their union (envisioned as a sexual
union) demonstrates the attainment of enlightenment by realizing the non-duality
of their respective
components.
Stylistic Comments: This is only the central portion of an exquisitely
carved small image which must have served as the center of a mandala as
part of a mineature stele much like the following image. Based on the fact
that there are a number of this type of figure surviving, and that a significant
number of Pala imaages have actually been found in use among the Tibetans,
it is possible to speculate that itinerant teachers may have carried such
images with them or their rituals practices.
