An antique 19th Century or earlier tsakli painting in mineral pigments depicting a 5 pronged vajra, or dorje. The dorje or vajra is the quintessential symbol of the 'diamond vehicle' or vajrayana Buddhist path. It symbolises the impenetrable, immovable, indivisible and indestructible state of enlightenment or Buddhahood of the enlightened mind. The vajra symbolises the male principle of skilful means, and is always held in the right, or male hand. The vajra represents the indestructible reality of Buddha's vajra mind as the unshakeable throne or ground of enlightenment. It is also regarded as prime symbol of 'shunyata' or emptiness - absorbing the unbreakable qualities of the diamond, the indestructible power of the thunderbolt and the indivisible transparent clarity of empty space. This dorje has, at it's centre a circle of Tibetan text with, at its heart, the syllable 'hum' - the final syllable of the mantra 'om a hum' - body, speech and mind. Two lines of Tibetan text to reverse plus a lama's thumbprint. 8.5 x 9.1cm