Japanese Esoteric Buddhist Vajra - Single-Prong Vajra (13 cm length)

Acquired from an overseas collector. The collector stated it is from the Edo period (1603-1867 AD, early 17th-19th century). This corresponds to the late Ming to mid-Qing Dynasty periods in Chinese history. Vajras from the Edo period generally date back 150-420 years. Having handled artifacts for many years, I tend to conservatively estimate the age. I have placed this item in the 19th century. A religious artifact of historical significance, approximately a century old, seems a more fitting description. Total length is 13 cm. Made of brass alloy. Hand-carved and finished. A rare Vajra from actual practice with a discernible age. **************************** Currently, newly cast Vajras available on the market are typically priced between 3200-4000 in new, refined condition. Mass-produced items from mainland China are even less expensive, translating to around 600 TWD. Some new Vajras are created using molds taken from antique pieces over a century old. The external appearance can be quite similar. For collectors without extensive experience in acquiring antique Tibetan ritual items, distinguishing between new and old can be challenging. Most collectors in Taiwan focus on antique Tibetan ritual items. Collectors of Japanese Esoteric Buddhist artifacts are very few, and the availability of antique Japanese Esoteric Buddhist items is even scarcer. Consequently, antique Japanese Esoteric Buddhist artifacts are difficult to promote in Taiwan. ********************************** Regarding the energetic resonance of ritual implements, I do not possess such sensitivity. Whether it's ancient Tibetan Phurba or Vajras, or even Japanese Esoteric Buddhist single-prong, three-prong, or five-prong Vajras, I experience no particular sensation. However, this year, while acquiring a large number of Tibetan Vajras, I also obtained a few Japanese ones. One evening, while holding a single-prong Vajra, I placed it under my pillow before sleeping. To my surprise, I dreamt of a fire ritual, smelling the aroma of burning pine resin. As I have often burned broken amber and beeswax prayer beads for friends in recent years, allowing them to learn the scent of genuine amber and beeswax when burned... In the dream, I paid close attention to the scent, experiencing it three times. This confirmed it was the smell of burning resins like pine and beeswax. Upon waking, after more than 30 years of touching countless ritual items without any discernible sensation, this single-prong Vajra evoked a dream-like experience. A fellow practitioner from the south, who deals in antiques, once remarked: "The focused intent of Japanese practitioners surpasses that of Tibetans. Do not underestimate Japanese ritual implements." On December 7, 2024, a senior Daoist practitioner, dedicated to spiritual cultivation and meditation, visited. After sensing the energy of several ritual items in my possession, both Tibetan (11th-18th century) and Japanese antique Vajras, he couldn't stop yawning uncontrollably upon holding them. He exclaimed the energy was immensely powerful, looking at me with disbelief. He asked if I felt nothing when touching these items. After his assessment, he took photos to show his master. Upon hearing my explanation of each item's age and acquisition cost, he politely requested to acquire three Japanese Esoteric Buddhist artifacts (single-prong, three-prong, and five-prong Vajras) the following morning. He noted that the energetic fields of the Japanese artifacts were as potent as the Tibetan ones, but the price difference was substantial, akin to the disparity between Tibetan Dzi beads and West Asian beads. He believed the Japanese artifacts were more accessible in terms of price. On December 19, 2024, he made a special trip from the north to report that the evening he brought the Japanese artifacts home, he placed two of them by his bedside. That night, he dreamt of two divine dragons, one large and one small, appearing within the Vajras. Having cultivated his sensitivity for many years, he expressed immense surprise and delight at this experience. ********************************** On December 18, 2024, I made an offering to the master Ugyen Khenpo at the monastery. I inquired if there were any practices in Tibetan Buddhism involving the three-prong Vajra. The master explained that only householder yogis engage in visualization practices, imagining a three-prong Vajra in their mouths, but do not physically use the artifact. *************************** The following information is sourced from the internet, briefly introducing Japanese Esoteric Buddhist ritual implements. Single-Prong Vajra. The single prong symbolizes the wisdom of the singular Dharma Realm of Mahavairocana Buddha. It also represents diligence, courage, and the power to destroy. As both ends are not forked, forming a single peak, it is called a single-prong Vajra. It is held by Kongo Rikishi (Vajra power deities), one of the forty hands of Avalokitesvara (Thousand-Armed) as a Vajra, and one of the right hands of the hundred-and-eight-armed Vajra Treasury King Bodhisattva. Commonly known as: Single-Prong Vajra, Single-Peak Vajra, One-Stroke Vajra, Single-Character Vajra. One of the Vajras held by Shingon practitioners in Japanese Esoteric Buddhism. 5500-114.01.12