Vajra

Vajra ritual objectDouble five-pronged vajra (go-ko) with three flames on each prong except central one. Central grip consists of two bands of bound lotus petals.Vajra is a Sanskrit term for a lightning bolt. It is carried as a weapon by various Hindu and Buddhist deities. In esoteric Buddhism, the vajra is a central emblem because the pure energy of lightning delivers a swift, powerful, and precise blow that shatters what it touches, much as enlightenment can deliver a swift, powerful, and precise blow that shatters ignorance and other forces of darkness. In ancient India, the vajra was depicted as a forked weapon. The more elaborate form shown here developed later in India and became the standard depiction of the vajra throughout Buddhist Asia. Condition: Good, except has been cleaned recently (patina removed)