Item: Mandala of Buddhakapala (Buddhist Deity)

Buddha Kapala, Heruka. The appearance and iconography of the deity is most similar to the deity Buddha Kapala in Heruka form, without a consort.

This deity at first appears to be a depiction of the Four Armed female deity Vajra Nairatmya from the Samputa Tantra. However, the number of deities in the retinue do not match the standard texts that describe the various mandalas of Nairatmya. The Samputa Tantra Nairatmya has one face and four hands but also has a retinue of twenty-three deities. Here the painting only has eight retinue figures. Also, the colours of the eight figures do not conform to known systems. The central figure matches in bodily appearance but does not match with the attributes held in the hands. It is possible that this mandala configuration comes out of another of the Hevajra Cycle of Tantras such as the Mahamudratilaka Tantra.

Jeff Watt 7-2002

Thematic Sets
Buddhist Deity: Deities (Female)
Mandalas: Female Deities
Buddhist Deity: Buddhakapala Main Page
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Mandala
Mandala: Iconography
Mandala: Mandala Main Page
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 3