Buddhist Handmade Statue of Phurba, Sand Casting, Vajrakilaya - Dorje Phurba with Consort Shakti, Yab-yum

Yab-yum is widely regarded as representing the primordial union of wisdom and compassion. The masculine form is active in Buddhism, representing the compassion and skillful means that must be developed in order to achieve enlightenment. The feminine form is passive and represents wisdom, both of which are required for enlightenment. The figures, when joined, represent the union required to remove the veils of Maya, the false duality of object and subject.

These figures are frequently worked into statues or reliefs, or they are painted on thangkas. Yab-yum can also be represented by the aniconic symbols yantra and mandala.

In Tibetan Buddhism
In Tibetan Buddhism, the same ideas are to be found concerning the bell and the dorje, which, like the yab-yum, symbolize the dualism that must be transcended. The sacred Tantric practice leads to rapid development of mind by using the experience of bliss, non-duality, and ecstasy while in communion with one's consort, either visualized, or in the case of advanced practitioners, in some cases physical. In one important Anuttarayoga text, where Tilopa expounds the meaning to Naropa, it is said:

When you rely on a consort, the wisdom of empty bliss will arise, so enter into union—the blessing of method and wisdom. Bring it down slowly, retain it, reverse it, and draw it back up. Bring it to the places in the body and let it spread throughout. When you remain free of desire, the wisdom of empty bliss will appear.

Indicating the advanced nature of the actual practice with consort, the verses are the last in what is already widely considered as a text for the most advanced practitioners, a fact clearly evident in the story about Naropa's receiving the teaching.

Iconography
The image of Vajrakila is usually the first introduction to a wrathful tantric deity. Importantly the 'wrath' is always deemed to be benevolent. The principle is that by concentrating on activities such as drinking a cup of coffee or meeting somebody we can direct personal energy by consciously applying our thoughts or feelings so affecting the way we are & condition the place we temporally occupy. The effect of concentration is that we begin to channel our energy toward something which is considered the prime tool of transformation. The principle here is that through reflection we can generate conditions, circumstances & energy around us through determined concentration. The usual three phases of reflection are concentration, meditation & contemplation considered absolutely vital to both Buddhists & Hindus. However simple the idea of applied concentration maybe the symbolism of Vajrakila is highly complex as are all wrathful manifestations.


He is a wrathful yidam deity presented in yab-yum embracing his consort Diptachakra. Vajrakila is painted dark blue with four legs, six arms, three faces. His two principal hands clasp a VajrakilayaKila. The Sanskrit word Vajrakila [Tib. Vajrakilaya] is a composite of the words Vajra here meaning diamond & Kila [Tib. Phurpa] meaning peg or short stake. The blade of the peg is a blue three-sided diamond crystal which symbolically used to free humans from the Principle Three Negative Energies [greed, hatred & delusion] by binding & then transmuting each into the three wisdom energies of love, compassion & understanding. The diamond represents incorruptibility & strength over another form. The Kila is a symbolic spiritual object rather than a weapon. The pommel of the Kila is a five-pronged vajra with each prong representing one of the five Transcendent Buddhas & the energy of lightning. Wooden Kila is favoured by shamans for healing & energetic work are often carved with the three faces of Vajrakila being one joyful, one peaceful & one wrathful. The Tibetan word for Vajra is Dorje.

Vajrakila's two top left hands both hold Vajra sceptres. The upper nine pronged [often open pronged] sceptre signifies his wrathful aspect, the smaller lower sceptre his peaceful nature. Vajrakila's top right hand is in threatening Tarjani hand gesture [Skt. mudra] with the index finger raised releasing a blaze of wisdom fire. His middle right-hand brandishes a trident [Skt. trisula] with three severed & impaled heads in deteriorating stages of decay. [The top having become a skull]. The blue head represents hatred, the redhead greed & the white skull the overriding cause of human suffering, delusion. His middle right-hand brandishes a small khartvanga trident. The staff is traditionally made of red sandalwood. The flame issuing from the middle prong [wisdom fire] symbolises the transmutation of the three principal causes of suffering into enlightened awareness. The white silk scarf depicts a funeral shroud that represents victory over the power of suffering death. He has two outstretched Garuda wings which represent his supremacy over the primordial underlying energy of the earth and her water. This subterranean energy is represented by naga serpents which the Garuda is held to have authority over. His association with primordial energy is also depicted in his horse neck, face whiskers, symbolic mane & similarity to Garuda-winged deity Hayagriva.

Diptachakra cusps a skullcap [Skt. kapala] with her left arm held upwards offering the uterine blood & entrails to Vajrakila. Together they represent the power of regeneration & renewal. She stands with her right leg extended & her left leg wrapped around Vajrakila's waist. She wears the five bone ornaments, a necklace of fifty dry skulls, and a leopard-skin dhoti [loincloth]. The skull necklace [Skt. Kapalamala] represents the female principle of emptiness & the ultimate emptiness of all phenomena. Unlike severed heads, skulls are strung with human hair. Her right arm is around Vajrakila's neck & her association with the blue lotus [Skt. Utpala] is found on Vajrakila's headpiece where there are three blue flowers. Vajrakila is draped with two flayed skins represent his power over the two sources of cyclical existence. The human skin represents his power over greed and the elephant skin his power over delusion. His consort wears the tiger skin representing her power over the third of the three original causes of suffering being hatred.



The necklace of severed heads [Skt. mundamala] strung with intestines is the male principle representing the physical world of form. The intestines [Skt. antra] represent the transitory & illusory nature of phenomena. Foodstuffs in the intestines are transformed into excrement and although nutrition is gained the iconography here alludes to the understanding of transition. The Yab-yum deities trample the bodies of Rudra & his consort Khrodhishvari, who lie prone upon a sun disc. His three faces painted white, blue & red symbolise Vajrakila's destruction of the Three Primary Poisons [greed, hatred & delusion]. His twisted earrings, bracelets anklets are rendered from serpents [Skt. nagas] & with the green stoles symbolise them. The wooden horseshoe object around his neck is a sorcerer's gong [Skt. Ghandi] made of white sandalwood & traditionally supported on the shoulder. The sound of this magical gong is reputed to terrify the Maras. The blue-flowered pattern between the end gold bosses symbolise gateways that conceal all the Vedic Gods & the Asuras with the power & energy which Vajrakila wields.



Commentary
Vajrakila's form represents the pinning down of the manifestation of all phenomena & the stabilisation of Mount Meru which embodies the principles of Dharma. Padmasambhavapracticed Vajrakilaya.

Mantra of Vajrakilaya

The third step is known as gating and risering, where additional channels and reservoirs are added to the mold to facilitate the flow of molten metal and compensate for any shrinkage during solidification. Once the gating system is prepared, the mold is carefully closed and secured. The fourth step involves pouring the molten metal, such as bronze or iron, into the mold through the gating system. After the metal has cooled and solidified, the mold is broken open, revealing the solid metal sculpture. The final steps involve removing any excess material, surface finishing, and polishing to achieve the desired appearance.

Sand casting offers several advantages, including its versatility in producing complex shapes, cost-effectiveness for both small and large-scale productions, and the ability to use a wide range of metals. However, it does require skilled craftsmanship and careful attention to ensure the quality and accuracy of the final sculpture. By utilizing the sand casting system, the Buddhist Handmade Statue Of Phurba, [sand Casting], Vajrakilaya - Dorje Phurba With Consort [shakti], Yab-yum embodies the craftsmanship and artistry of the process, resulting in a captivating and unique metal artwork.



The process cycle for sand casting consists of six main stages, which are explained below
Mold-making -The first step in the sand casting process is to create the mold for the casting. In an expendable mold process, this step must be performed for each casting. A sand mold is formed by packing sand into each half of the mold. The sand is packed around the pattern, which is a replica of the external shape of the casting. When the pattern is removed, the cavity that will form the casting remains. Any internal features of the casting that cannot be formed by the pattern are formed by separate cores which are made of sand prior to the formation of the mold. Further details on mold-making will be described in the next section. The mold-making time includes positioning the pattern, packing the sand, and removing the pattern. The mold-making time is affected by the size of the part, the number of cores, and the type of sand mold. If the mold type requires heating or baking time, the mold-making time is substantially increased. Also, lubrication is often applied to the surfaces of the mold cavity in order to facilitate removal of the casting. The use of a lubricant also improves the flow the metal and can improve the surface finish of the casting. The lubricant that is used is chosen based upon the sand and molten metal temperature.

Clamping - Once the mold has been made, it must be prepared for the molten metal to be poured. The surface of the mold cavity is first lubricated to facilitate the removal of the casting. Then, the cores are positioned and the mold halves are closed and securely clamped together. It is essential that the mold halves remain securely closed to prevent the loss of any material.
Pouring - The molten metal is maintained at a set temperature in a furnace. After the mold has been clamped, the molten metal can be ladled from its holding container in the furnace and poured into the mold. The pouring can be performed manually or by an automated machine. Enough molten metal must be poured to fill the entire cavity and all channels in the mold. The filling time is very short in order to prevent early solidification of any one part of the metal.

Cooling - The molten metal that is poured into the mold will begin to cool and solidify once it enters the cavity. When the entire cavity is filled and the molten metal solidifies, the final shape of the casting is formed. The mold can not be opened until the cooling time has elapsed. The desired cooling time can be estimated based upon the wall thickness of the casting and the temperature of the metal. Most of the possible defects that can occur are a result of the solidification process. If some of the molten metal cools too quickly, the part may exhibit shrinkage, cracks, or incomplete sections. Preventative measures can be taken in designing both the part and the mold and will be explored in later sections.

Removal - After the predetermined solidification time has passed, the sand mold can simply be broken, and the casting removed. This step, sometimes called shakeout, is typically performed by a vibrating machine that shakes the sand and casting out of the flask. Once removed, the casting will likely have some sand and oxide layers adhered to the surface. Shot blasting is sometimes used to remove any remaining sand, especially from internal surfaces, and reduce the surface roughness.

Trimming - During cooling, the material from the channels in the mold solidifies attached to the part. This excess material must be trimmed from the casting either manually via cutting or sawing, or using a trimming press. The time required to trim the excess material can be estimated from the size of the casting's envelope. A larger casting will require a longer trimming time. The scrap material that results from this trimming is either discarded or reused in the sand casting process. However, the scrap material may need to be reconditioned to the proper chemical composition before it can be combined with non-recycled metal and reused.