Japanese 19th Century Esoteric Buddhist Ritual Tool - Vajra (11.8 cm length)

Acquired from an overseas collector. The collector indicated it was from the Edo period (1603-1867 AD, early 17th-19th century). This corresponds to the late Ming to mid-Qing dynasties in China. Vajras from the Edo period are generally 150-420 years old. Having handled artifacts for many years, I tend to be conservative with age estimates. I place it in the 19th century. A religious artifact with a century of history is a more fitting description. Total length is 11.8 cm, weight is 66 grams. Made of brass alloy. Hand-carved and finished. A unique Vajrayana ritual tool with a history of actual practice. **************************** Currently, newly cast vajras available on the market range from approximately NT$3,200 to NT$4,000. Mass-produced items from mainland China are even less expensive, costing as little as NT$600. Some new vajra models are cast from molds of antique ritual tools over a century old. The visual differences are not significant. For collectors new to acquiring old Tibetan ritual tools, distinguishing between new and old can be challenging without experience. Most collectors in Taiwan primarily focus on antique Tibetan ritual tools. There are very few collectors of Japanese Esoteric Buddhist ritual tools, and the market supply of older Japanese Esoteric Buddhist items is even scarcer. Consequently, older Japanese Esoteric Buddhist ritual tools are difficult to promote in Taiwan. ********************************** Regarding the energetic resonance of ritual tools, I personally do not possess a heightened sensitivity. Whether it's ancient Tibetan Phurba or Vajras, or even Japanese single, triple, or five-pronged vajras, I experience no sensation. However, when I acquired a batch of Tibetan vajras this year, I also obtained a few Japanese vajras. One evening, while handling a single-pronged vajra, I placed it under my pillow before sleeping. Unexpectedly, I dreamt of a fire ritual scene, smelling the scent of burning pine resin. In recent years, I've often burned broken amber and beeswax prayer beads for friends to experience the aroma of genuine beeswax and amber when burned. In the dream, I paid close attention to the scent, experiencing it three times consecutively. This confirmed it was the smell of burning resins like pine and amber. Upon waking, after more than 30 years of handling countless ritual tools without any notable sensation, I received this dreamlike resonance from this single-pronged vajra. A fellow artifact dealer from the south once remarked, "The mental focus of Japanese practitioners surpasses that of Tibetans. Do not underestimate Japanese ritual tools." On December 7, 2024, a Daoist brother who has been practicing spiritual cultivation and meditation for a long time visited. He sensed the energy of several ritual tools I possess, including both Tibetan (11th-18th century) and Japanese antique vajras. Upon holding them, he could not stop yawning, exclaiming the energy was incredibly potent. He looked at me with disbelief, asking if I felt nothing when handling these items. After sensing the artifacts, he took photos to show his master. When I explained the age and acquisition cost of each item, he apologetically requested to purchase three Japanese Esoteric Buddhist ritual tools (single, triple, and five-pronged vajras) from me the next morning. He noted that the energetic resonance of Japanese ritual tools was nearly as powerful as that of Tibetan ones, yet their prices differed dramatically. The price difference is akin to that between Tibetan Dzi beads and West Asian beads. He believed Japanese ritual tools would be more affordable. On December 19, 2024, he made a special trip north to see me and reported that the night he brought the Japanese ritual tools home, he placed two of them by his bedside table. That night, he dreamt of two divine dragons, one large and one small, appearing within the vajras. Having cultivated his senses for many years, he expressed immense surprise and delight. ********************************** On December 18, 2024, I made an offering to Master Ugyen of the monastery. I inquired if Tibetan Buddhism had any practices involving the triple-pronged vajra. The Master replied that only householder yogis engage in contemplation, using visualization techniques, such as imagining a triple-pronged vajra in their mouths. In practice, the actual ritual tool is not used. 8600-114.03.01