Mahamaya and Buddha Dakini

About the Art

This male figure, Mahamaya, is an example of a yidam, a symbolic deity that is a manifestation of the Buddha and embodies Buddhist enlightenment. Yidam often appear in a “father-mother union” pose (yab-yum), where the male figure is joined with a female counterpart, in this case Buddhadakini. Together, they symbolize the union of wisdom and compassion.

FEATURED IMAGE
Artist(s) unknown (Tibet), Mahamaya and Buddha Dakini, 15th–16th century, gilt bronze with traces of pigment and semi-precious stone inlay, height 11 3/4 inches (29.9 cm). Museum purchase with funds provided by Mrs. Virginia W. Kettering, 1980.12