tokkosho　独鈷杵

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

A pestle with a single sharp blade at each end, found as an attribute *jimotsu 持物 of Buddhist guardian figures, and a symbolic item in Esoteric Buddhism *mikkyou hougu 密教法具. Similar pestles have three, five or nine prongs at each end, and are collectively known as *kongousho 金剛杵. They represent the indestructible nature of Buddhist law, and the power to defeat evil. A good example of a figure holding a tokkosho is the *Shukongoushin 執金剛神 (mid-8c) in Toudaiji Sangatsudou 東大寺三月堂 (also known as *Hokkedou 法華堂), Nara.

REFERENCES:

*sankosho 三鈷杵, *gokosho 五鈷杵

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NOTES:

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