The phurba is a ritual triangular knife common in vast territories of Asia, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Japan and others. There is no exact data on the duration of the use of phurba for ritual purposes, but according to references in the annals and finds from excavations it can be established that is has been used at least 3500 years.
There are multiple ways in which the phurba is used. In many traditions it is used during ritual actions for its protective qualities, keeping the space safe from distortion by dark spirits and protecting the souls of the participants from getting lost. For this reason, before going into deep trance, Nepalese Orthodox Shamans (Jakri) stick the phurba into the ground on their left side to keep dark spirits at a distance.
Also the phurba can be used as an attribute for healing, using it to expel evil spirits and entities from the human body and as a tool for directing energy and giving blessings.
In the appearance of a phurba there’s a lot of symbolism to be seen. Lengthwise it symbolizes the axis of the world and the three levels of Middleworld, Upperworld and Underworld can be recognized. The three facets of the faces and the blade symbolize all kinds of trinities, like in time (past, present, future) or state (creation, preservation, destruction).
This wooden phurba comes from Nepal. It is an antique one, with a beautiful dark patina and handcarved decorations. Due to its age and previous usage of course some imperfections and damages can be seen.
This phurba is quite unique in its design. The top of the handle shows the familiair face of the guardian of this phurba and its owner, the three faced Vajrakilaya (or Dorje Phurba), a wrathful form of the Buddha Vajrasattva. But, quite a-typical, the middle area is shaped with the design of a dorje, a widespread symbol in both buddhism and hinduism, which symbolizes the true nature of the universe and reality; the endless, ultimate emptiness in which all possibilities exist. The dorje supports 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 wooden phurba is a somewhat bigger and heavier one: it has a length of 33 centimeters and weighs 144 grams. It has a sharp pointed tip, covered with metal, making it easier to stick it in the ground.
Only one available.
