vajra, stylized ritual thunderbolt; bronze; each end has 5 “points”, 4 of which emerge from mouth of animal; extending from center ball are stylized lotus blossoms; used by monks in religious ceremonies; used concurrently with bell (see 9-10827); held in right hand between thumb and index, with other fingers extended outward; in Brahmanism the vajra symbolizes the thunderbolts of Indra, the Indian counterpart of Zeus and Jupiter; later the Nepalese Buddhists associated the vajra with Buddha.
Donor:
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Ready, Jr. Fund
Collection place:
Tibet
Object type:
ethnography
Function:
5.1 Religion and Divination: Objects and garb associated with practices reflecting submission, devotion, obedience, and service to supernatural agencies
Accession date:
November 16, 1970
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Loans:
S1972-1973 #91: Southeast Asian Studies Department (UC Berkeley) (May 1, 1973–May 2, 1973), S1973-1974 #60: Southeast Asian Studies Department (UC Berkeley) (March 1, 1974–March 5, 1974), S1975-1976 #97: Kenneth Versand (May 16, 1976–May 16, 1976), and S1987-1988 #4: Bade Museum, Pacific School of Religion (July 15, 1987–September 21, 1987)