Tibet, 18^th-19^th century. Ink, distemper, and gold on cloth. Finely painted with the three-faced and six-armed winged deity in blissful union with his consort Diptachakra, stamping over the splayed bodies of Maheshvara and Uma atop a lotus base above jewels and blood-filled skullcups, the main hands holding a pointed kila at the heart, the others holding gold vajras, a trident, and flames entwined around the index finger, his consort holding a kapala from which one of his heads drinks, engulfed in flames below ferocious dragons, the upper register with an image of blue Samantabhadra in union with his consort Samantabhadri.

Provenance: A noted Hungarian collection.
Condition: Good condition with some wear, soiling, small losses. The mounting with some tears to the edges.

Dimensions: Image size ca. 73 x 54 cm, Size incl. mounting 123 x 84 cm, Size incl. frame 142 x 100.5 cm

With a silk brocade mounting and framed behind glass. (2)

Vajrakila is identified by the phurba (dagger), also known as a kila, held in his main hands. Vajrakila is an important meditational deity in the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, and Kagyu orders of Tibetan Buddhism. In the Nyingma tradition, such wrathful deities were referred to as Herukas (blood-drinkers) and embodied a meditational focus, such as body, speech, or mind. Vajrakila represents the activity aspect of the Heruka tradition.

Vajrakila is one of the great protectors of Tantric Buddhism. According to the Tibetan hidden texts, terma, the deity emerged in a previous eon during the time of the Buddha's taming of the wrathful Shiva-Rudra, the archdemon of pride and egoism. Shiva was in fact reborn as a powerful demon, in the malignant form of Rudra, as a result of having broken the tantric vows in his previous lifetimes. Unable to peacefully convince Rudra to recognize his erroneous ways, the Buddhas in Akanishta Heaven emanated from themselves a powerful being to destroy him. Another narrative relates Vajrakila to the wisdom manifestation of all Buddhas, emanating from the heart of Vajrasattva to eradicate all ignorance and emotional afflictions preventing the dawning of realization. Vajrakila is particularly esteemed in the Nyingma Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism because of his relation with Padmasambhava, the 'Precious Guru' credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet and transmitting the Varjakila tantric collection of texts in the region.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 9 November 2017, lot 217
Price: GBP 37,500 or approx. EUR 51,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare black-ground thangka of Vajrakila, Tibet, 17^th century
Expert remark: Note the similar size (71 x 54.5 cm) and the apparently earlier date

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams London, 11 May 2017, lot 45
Price: GBP 28,750 or approx. EUR 39,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare black-ground thangka of Heruka, Tibet, 19^th century
Expert remark: Note the much smaller size (40 x 26 cm) and the apparently later date

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 18 March 2013, lot 169
Price: USD 18,750 or approx. EUR 22,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A black ground thangka of Heruka, Tibet, circa 18^th century
Expert remark: Note the size (62.2 x 47.2 cm)



黑地普巴金剛唐卡
西藏，十八至十九世紀，布面水墨膠彩。主尊普巴金剛立於畫面中央，深藍膚色，三首六臂四足，主手拿著一個尖尖的心，其他手持金剛杵，三叉戟，背生雙翼。三面，頭戴骷髏冠，金色的怒髮如同火焰一般。每面皆有圓鼓鼓的三目，呲牙咧嘴，露出鋒利的獠牙，表情兇猛可畏。他的明妃拿著卡巴拉，正要飲血。其上方可見普賢雙修圖。

來源：知名匈牙利私人收藏。
品相：狀況良好，有一些磨損、污漬和缺損。安裝時邊緣有些撕裂。

尺寸：畫面約73 x 54 厘米, 含裝幀123 x 84 厘米, 含框142 x 100.5 厘米

玻璃裝框 (2)

普巴金剛的法器是匕首，也被稱為 kila，握在他的主手中。普巴金剛是藏傳佛教寧瑪派、薩迦派、覺囊派和噶舉派中重要的禪修本尊。在寧瑪派傳統中，這些憤怒的本尊被稱為明王，體現了禪修的重點，例如身、語或意。普巴金剛代表勝樂金剛傳承。

普巴金剛是密宗佛教的大護法之一。普巴金剛在藏傳佛教的寧瑪派中受到特別尊重，因為他與蓮花生大士的關係，這位“珍貴的上師”被認為將佛教帶到了西藏，並在該地區傳播了佛法。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2017年11月9日，lot 217
價格：GBP 37,500（相當於今日EUR 51,000）
描述：西藏十七世紀黑底描金普巴金剛唐卡
專家評論：請注意相似的尺寸(71 x 54.5釐米) ，以及明顯年代較早。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2017年5月11日，lot 45
價格：GBP 28,750（相當於今日EUR 39,000）
描述：西藏十九世紀赫魯嘎像
專家評論：請注意尺寸較小(40 x 26釐米) ，以及明顯年代較晚。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約邦瀚斯，2013年3月18日，lot 169
價格：USD 18,750（相當於今日EUR 22,000）
描述：約十八世紀西藏黑地赫魯嘎
專家評論：請注意尺寸(62.2 x 47.2釐米)。