Covered box with vajra

Covered box with vajra

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The two crossed vajra pestles depicted on the box’s cover are commonly used in Esoteric Buddhist rituals. In the shape of a club with multiple prongs on both ends, the vajra is a ritual weapon with indestructible and irresistible power symbolizing the energy of enlightenment. This ornament indicates the box was originally made for Buddhist ritual use, likely as a container of incense.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.