Padmasambhava- “he who is born from the lotus (a symbol of pure wisdom)” is the supreme teacher in Tibetan Buddhism, revered for having established the first Buddhist monastic structure in the region and bringing Tantric rituals and the practice of Yoga to the land. In his artistic depictions, Guru Padmasambhava is seen wearing the heavy garbs of the people of the hilly region, with a distinctive cap, whose tassels flow upward to mark the winter winds Padmasambhava braved in bringing the faith to the people of Tibet.

This brass statue from Nepal represents the great master on a lotus (Padma), sitting relaxedly, wearing his characteristic attire and shoes and ornate earrings. The curving brows of Padmasambhava suggest an active and powerful presence, while his face carries a serene stillness.

In his hands, Padmasambhava holds the staff or Khatvanga with severed heads showing different stages of the human body, from life, and death to absolute decay, highlighting the ignorance of the human mind toward impermanence and simultaneously severing it. The Vajra or thunderbolt in Padmasambhava’s hand symbolizes enlightenment’s full force, and the pot of ambrosia in his hand represents eternity and eternal life of pure wisdom, which the master bestows on his students.