Vajradhātvīśvarī and Vairocana
Mirror Tantric Images in 10th-Century Cambodia
Keywords:
Ancient Cambodia, Buddhist Iconography, Khmer Tantric Deities, Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṁgrahanāmamahāyānasūtra (STTS), Vairocana and VajradhātvīśvarīAbstract
This article explores a collection of ten-armed, five-headedfigures featured in 10th-century Khmer Buddhist miniature shrines. While traditionally identified as representations of Prajñāpāramitā, the female deity embodying “the Perfection of Wisdom”, this article puts forth a new interpretation, suggesting these images depict the Khmer iteration of two dual tantric Buddhist deities, Vairocana and Vajradhātvīśvarī, linked to the Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṁgrahanāmamahāyānasūtra (STTS). The key insight for this hypothesis stems from an examination of a newly identified shrine located in the Battambang National Museum featuring mirrored male and female figures, prompting a reconsideration of their traditional identification. The link to the mentioned STTS text provides an explanatory framework for the unique iconographic features of these images.
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