Mongolian Brass Dorje Antique c. 19th Century



A fascinating brass dorje from Mongolia, dating back to the 19th Century. A dorje 
is a ritual object, used in Tibetan Buddhism. In Buddhist ceremonies in Tibet, the bell and the dorje are always used together, the dorje representing the masculine, or a thunderbolt, and the bell representing the feminine, or a diamond. The bell can also represent the body, while the dorje represents the mind. The dorje is used to strike the bell. When holding the dorje and bell together, the dorje is held in the right hand, and the bell is in the left hand.
The dorje symbol came to Tibetan Buddhism from Hinduism. In Sanskrit, dorje is called 'vajra.' Vajra means, 'thunderbolt' or 'diamond.' The vajra represents spiritual power, and is like a diamond, because it can destroy, but it cannot be destroyed.  In Hinduism, the vajra is the weapon of Indra (the god of rain, lightning, and the sky). 
Constructed from brass, the dorje is in good antique condition, with some scratches and tarnishing to the metal. Some of  the prongs appear to have been soldered with lead, and some are slightly loose. Please see the photographs.
Length: 10.8 cm / 4.25 inches, Diameter: 4.8 cm / 1.57 inches
Weight: 116.6 grams / 75 dwt

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