Tibetan Buddha, 19th century. "Vajrasattva". Gilded bronze, with colored crystals set. It presents marks of use and wear. Measurements: 23 x 15 x 10 cm. Vajrasattva adopting the posture of meditation. He holds a dorje in his right hand (symbol of spiritual power) and a bell (ghanta) in his right hand, symbol of wisdom. Vajrasattva is a bodhisattva in the Mahayana and Mantrayana Buddhist traditions. In Chinese Buddhism and the Japanese Shingon tradition, Vajrasattva is the esoteric aspect of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra and is commonly associated with the practicing student who, through the teachings of the master, attains a solid, subtle and refined foundation in his esoteric practice. In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrasattva is associated with sambhogakaya and purification practice. Vajrasattva appears mainly in two Buddhist texts: the Mahavairocana Sutra and the Vajrasekhara Sutra. In the Diamond Kingdom Mandala, Vajrasattva sits to the east near Akshobhya Buddha. In some esoteric lineages, Nagarjuna is said to have met Vajrasattva in an iron tower in South India, and taught him tantra, thus transmitting the esoteric teachings to more historical figures. Vajrasattva's name translates as "Diamond Self" or "Ray Self." The vajra, a symbol of deep understanding, is associated with esoteric Buddhism.