Vajradhupa

Ming Dynasty

North Wall, Dabaoji Palace, Baisha

Seen here is Vajradhupa (Tibetan Bdug-spos-ma), a Tibetan Buddhist Dakini (minor goddess) who is associated with the sense of smell. She holds a bowl of incense in her left hand. Her right hand holds a vajra, and she cradles a staff in her left arm. The goddess is posed in a typical dancing posture. The poor anatomy of her legs and lower body is a puzzle, but these kinds of errors can creep in when an imperfect model in a copy book is reproduced by artists who then introduce errors of their own, like a copyist's version of the Telephone Game.