Tibetan Buddhist Thunderbolt Scepter (Dorje) and Bell

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Unified, they form a symbol which is associated with the incorruptible purity of the diamond, with the truth that no force, no weapon can destroy. They represent the victory of knowledge over ignorance, the mastery of spirit over the “poisons” that tarnish existence.

The thunderbolt scepter, held in the practitioner’s right hand, is a token of stability of the method, -while the bell, in his left hand, is a reminder of the wisdom of impermanence. Equilibrium between the two is established through ritual gestures, the mudra. In the hands of the masters of esoteric interpretation, this inseparable pair signifies the unity of masculine power and of feminine energy.

The vajra originally stood for lightning, and is the attribute of the Hindu god Indra. Having been adopted and adapted by Buddhism, in reaching Tibet and becoming the dorje, it assumed a dominant place among Tantric symbols. Of metal or of stone, with one to nine points, the commonest thunderbolt scepter generally has three, representing the Three Jewels. With a single double point, the dorje stands for the union of the spiritual and material worlds; with two double points (seldom seen), the duality of appearances; with four double points it is associated with the great moments in the life of Shakyamuni; five points make it a crown; and four points around a shaft symbolize the five elements, the five wisdoms, the five primordial Buddhas. Thunderbolts with nine double points are exceptional, even in Tibet, and are linked to secret interpretations. In all forms, it is a symbol of the absolute beyond all opposites, or of the fundamental unity achieved by meditation.

The dorje very often adorns the handle of the bell, of which it is the pendant, a sign that their functions are indissociable in daily practice. The prototype of this emblem par excellence of Tibetan Buddhism is closely guarded at the Sera Monastery on the outskirts of Lhasa. It is accessible to the public only once each year, on the occasion of a major ceremony. It is thought to have belonged to Padmasambhava himself, and was found in his meditation cave at Yerpa by his disciple Dacharpa.

The bell, ghanta or drilbu, is at once the opposite and complement in this symbol of transcendental knowledge. Its handle may terminate in a stupa, a cintamani, or a single- or many-pointed dorje. It represents not only sound, but also void and impermanence: its crystal tinkle dies no sooner than emitted, recalling that all is fleeting. It is thus the symbol of the immediate wisdom of intuition, which instantly grasps and understands the void without reflection or reasoning. Endowed with creative power by the attendant vibration of the mantra or dharani which it accompanies, the ritual bell also has the function of inspiring and activating the enlightenment of the heart.

In a world ruled by opposites, where there is no day without night, no nadir without zenith, no north without south, no sunrise without sunset, the symbolic pair dorje and drilbu minors the image of interdependent opposites, indissolubly united: it is the original essence of the Diamond Path, the seed of the double unity of contradictory appearances through which it is manifested. In this sense, the diamond scepter expresses the perfect clarity of the void, veiled by the endless diversity of its masks. For the needs of certain rituals, vajra and ghanta represent the two fundamental diagrams, virtually inseparable in the Buddhist universe, which are the stupa of Garbhadhatu and of Vajradhatu, or the world of appearances and the world of spiritual energies and forces. The combination of these two aspects is always indispensable for the attainment of Enlightenment.

How are Nepalese copper statues made?

Nepalese statues and sculptures are best known for their unique small religious figures and ritual paraphernalia for over two thousand years. These are mainly cast in copper alloy. Nepal draws influences from the artistic styles of Buddhism and Hinduism, and therefore the sculptors of the country specialize in making the icons of both these religions. Over the years, Nepalese sculptures evolved into their own distinctive iconography. Some characteristic features of these sculptures that differ from other pieces are exaggerated physical postures, youthful and sensual features, languid eyes, wider faces having serene expressions, and ornate flourishes. The Buddhist deity icons of Nepal have tremendous demand in countries such as China and Tibet for ritual purposes in their temples and monasteries.

Nepalese statues and sculptures have a high copper content and therefore develop a slightly reddish patina on the surface as they age. However, the most unique feature of Nepalese copper statues is their decorative detailing. The pieces are heavily gilded and sometimes inlaid with semi-precious stones. This embellishment protects them from getting tarnished. The traditional lost-wax method for casting Nepalese copper statues remains the most practiced technique in Nepal for many centuries. This process involves many steps and requires skilled artists.

The first step in lost-wax sculpting is to make a wax replica of the desired Buddhist deity to be cast in copper. This replica is created by hand and therefore needs excellent artistic skills otherwise fine features will be lacking.

Once the wax replica is made, it is then coated with a special mixture of clay with a brush. This layer of clay is hardened when left to dry. A small hole is made on the base of the wax mould so that the wax flows away when it is heated.

At this stage, a hollow mould in the shape of the deity is obtained.

This is the time to pour liquid copper into the hollow mould which is then allowed to cool and harden inside a container of cold water. When the liquid metal has hardened, the mould is removed and the statue within is revealed.

The artist works on the details of the statue using various tools. It is then polished to get a shiny and lustrous surface.

Now comes the most important part of Nepalese art which is gold gilding. This is done by the traditional fire gilding method. A mixture of mercury and 18K gold is applied on the surface of the statue and heat is applied using a flame torch. The result is that mercury evaporates along with impurities, leaving a pure 24K gold finish.

The lost-wax method of sculpting is the most preferred technique

for artists to cast a metallic statue having intricate details. Since Nepalese copper sculptures require extraneous effort for giving a majestic look by adding special embellishments, it takes several weeks to complete one masterpiece. A 24K gold gilded copper sculpture retains its brilliant luster for many years and appears as like before. Nepalese sculptures continue to remain one of the finest specimens of the art of the East that have a strong aesthetic appeal that other sculptures cannot match.