Dril-Bu and Dorje

Unknown

19th century · bronze · Musical Instruments

The dril-bu (bell) and dorje (scepter) are indispensable liturgical instruments used during Tibetan Buddhist ritual recitation. They are usually regarded as one object, are matched and used together. The bell is held in the left hand and the scepter in the right as both hands gracefully move in prescribed gestures that serve as a commentary to the recitation. As a pair, they reflect the two aspects of Buddhist practice: method and wisdom, intuition and compassion. The face appearing on the bell's handle is associated with Transcendent Insight. The elegant prongs emerging from the mouths of makaras (sea monsters and guardian spirits) and forming the ends of these ritual objects have their roots in Indic and Greek mythology. The prongs recall the thunderbolt scepter of Indra, a Hindu warrior god who governs rain, clouds, and lightning. The Tibetan scepter refers to the immovable, steadfast ("diamond-hard") consciousness of Buddha. The bell's body is further embellished with a wreath of monster faces separated by auspicious symbols, and bands of small dorjes appear at the bell's rim and shoulder.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

bronze

Culture

Tibetan

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889