Nepalese melong Double Dorje 52 millimeters

Recently made lightweight alpaca metal mirror from Nepal, with a diameter of 52 millimeters and a weight of 23 grams. In Nepal, mirrors such as these are called 'melong'. They are traditionally often worn on the belt, instead of around the neck. 

Design characteristics:

The silvery alpaca metal base has been painted with a dark red-brown color. On the frontside, the symbol of a double dorje can be seen. 

The word 'dorje' (or in Sanskrit 'vajra') translates both as 'lightning bolt' and as 'diamond'. It is a widespread symbol in both buddhism and hinduism, and can be found on for example depictions and statues of the buddha, decorations on ritual attributes, furniture and fabrics.

The dorje symbolizes the true nature of the universe and reality; the endless, ultimate emptiness in which all possibilities exist. The dorje (as a visual symbol and/or physical attribute) is often used during meditation practices, to support in 'cutting through the crap of the mind', finding a clear path through the diversions of the 'monkey-mind' and ego-chatter, seeing what's real and what's not. The dorje is said to destroy all kinds of ignorance and in this way helps in gaining true insights.

This melong shows a 'double dorje' or 'crossed dorje'; from the central hub there are dorje-heads going into all four cardinal directions. This symbolizes the principle of absolute stability, of finding solid ground in the middle of the universe. It is said that a vast crossed dorje underlies Mount Meru, the esoteric mountain in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology that is considered to be the centre of all universes. Thus the double dorje supports the entire physical universe. Also a double dorje is often depicted as the central hub of intricate mandala representations, such as in thangka’s, where it forms the immoveable support or foundation of the mandala palace.

Read more about the origin, design and usage of (shamanic) mirrors in the general description of our webshop collection "Mirrors and Melongs".