A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF SACHEN KUNGA NYINGPO TIBETO-CHINESE, 16TH / 17TH CENTURY |

the Sakya lineage holder seated in vajraparyankasana, the proper left hand raised in vitarka mudra, the end of a lotus stem wrapped around the palm and curling around the forearm supporting a blossom and scrolled leaves against the left shoulder, the right hand lowered in varada mudra, each palm incised with a dharmacakra, the lama with a semi-balding pate and noble, furrowed brow, the body clothed in floral-bordered garments with a robe belted and tied around the portly waist and an outer robe draped down the back in pleats and long, even folds, all raised on a double-lotus base

San Francisco Private Collection, by repute.
Acquired by the present owner circa 1990.

In overall good condition with expected minor surface wear and minor dents. The surface cleaned and the base plate lacking. The rivets in place to hold the figure to the base appear to be original.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), was the son of the founder of the Sakya monastery, and the third throne holder of the Sakya tradition. He was considered an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, and is commonly depicted with a lotus flower extending from the raised proper left hand, and a semi-bald head, as in the present example. A rare thangka portrait of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, from Ngor Monastery, Central Tibet, inscribed with dedication to ‘Sakyapa Kunga Nyingpo’ and attributed to circa 1600, illustrated in Gilles Béguin, Dieux du Tibet, Suilly-la-Tour, 2018, p. 181, and sold in these rooms 20th March 2013, lot 238, shows the Sakya patriarch with the same characteristic hair, mudra, garments, and lotus flower. Three related copper alloy figures attributed to the 15th-16th centuries are illustrated in Donald Dinwiddie, Portraits of the Masters, Chicago, 2003, pls 60-62. This titan of the Sakya tradition was a scholar whose work contributed profoundly to the school’s teachings of Cakrasamvara and of the Lamdre ‘Path with the Result’ instruction. Under the tutelage of Lama Shangton Chobar, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo received the Lamdre oral instructions and integrated this practice into the Sakya tradition. Henceforth the Lamdre teachings have become a Sakya hallmark and specialization. Sachen also wrote many well-known treatises and commentaries on Sakya lineage texts, and was celebrated for his accomplishments in learning and realization. He devoted his life to study, intensive meditation retreats, and the transmission of the tantrayana teachings to his many worthy disciples, including his sons Sonam Tsemo and Drakpa Gyaltsen, who would become the next generation of Sakya patriarchs and tridzins.