Ritual Stake (Phurpa) (Translation)
Kila (Primary Title)
Phurpa (Primary Title)
Phurbu (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
This impressive object is a ritual dagger (phurpa), one of the most important ceremonial implements used in Tibetan Buddhist practices. With the help of a ritual hammer, such daggers—also known as pegs or stakes—are used symbolically to “nail down” and immobilize negative energies and evil forces. As such, they are powerful protective devices, employed to demarcate and safeguard sacred spaces. This example, which follows standard typologies, consists of three main sections: a deeply channeled triangular blade decorated with serpents, a grip ornamented with endless-knot and lotus motifs, and a pommel featuring the three-faced wrathful deity Vajrakila, an anthropomorphic representation of the implement itself.
Gift of Arthur Glasgow, by exchange
Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey toward Enlightenment, VMFA, Richmond, April 20-August 14, 2019; Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, January 17 – November 29, 2020
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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