Mahasiddha Manibhadra Under a Mango Tree with an Evicerated Dog

This 13th-century terracotta from Nepal depicts Manibhadra, one of the eighty-four Mahasiddhas (great adepts) in Vajrayana Buddhism. The Mahasiddhas were tantric masters who flourished in India between the 8th and 12th centuries, known for unconventional methods and rejecting orthodox religious practices. The disturbing imagery of the eviscerated dog reflects tantric practices that deliberately confronted taboos to break through conventional thinking.

According to tradition, Manibhadra achieved sudden realization after twelve years of practice when a clay water pot shattered. Her teacher was Kukkuripa, famous for a story about compassion toward a starving dog that turned out to be a dakini in disguise. The scene under a mango tree connects to Buddhist symbolism of enlightenment in nature. It's at the Art Institute of Chicago.