A gilt-bronze figure of Vajradaka, Qing dynasty, 18th century | 清 十八世紀 銅鎏金噉食空行母坐像

The finely cast gilt-bronze represents the purification deity Vajradaka gazing upwards with wide open mouth, his hands crossed at the wrist holding the vajra and ghanta, and seated with legs raised and crossed at the ankle on a hollow lotus pedestal.

Vajradaka is evoked during purification rites associated with the Chakrasamvara Cycle of Tantras. The ritual use of the statue involves placing sesame seeds on burning coals in a receptacle beneath the hollow figure of Vajradaka, with the resulting smoke released through the open mouth of the deity.

Vajradaka’s compelling expression, the refined modelling of the bronze and its rich gilding are hallmarks of the finest Tibeto-Chinese Buddhist sculpture of the Qing dynasty.

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本尊精鑄銅鎏金造像乃清淨本尊噉食空行母，其雙目仰視，張口吞噬，雙手交叉，分持金剛杵與鈴，雙腿抬起，足踝交叉坐於蓮花座上。

勝樂金剛續部為藏傳佛教中一部重要經典，包含許多儀式和修行法則。清淨法會即為其一，目的是清除障礙和不淨之物。噉食空行母在此儀式中受到召喚，焚燒芝麻籽所產生的煙霧通過其口釋放，來實現淨化的效果。

本噉食空行母面相威嚴、造型精緻、鎏金厚潤，為清代藏傳佛教雕塑藝術之上乘佳作。