The Esoteric Buddhist Goddess Karmavajri

The Esoteric Buddhist Goddess Karmavajri

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This Buddhist goddess personifies the symbol of the Karma family, the crossed vajra (visvavajra), which she holds before her body. Seated in a yogic manner, Karmavajri wears a tall three-part diadem and elaborate jewelry that has been cold gilded. She would have been worshipped as part of a set of images that constituted a Vajradatu mandala. Stylistic and technical similarities confirm that this work belonged to the same ensemble as the Buddha Amoghasiddhi (1984.211, which is complete with its original base)

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Esoteric Buddhist Goddess KarmavajriThe Esoteric Buddhist Goddess KarmavajriThe Esoteric Buddhist Goddess KarmavajriThe Esoteric Buddhist Goddess KarmavajriThe Esoteric Buddhist Goddess Karmavajri

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.