Vajrasattva (Japanese: Kongosattva) is the second patriarch of the Buddhist faith. He was said to appeared eight hundred years after the Buddha's death, and presented the scroll of "Great Sutra of the Two Principles" to the fourth patriarch Nagarjuna. Hence the written history of Buddhism began.
Vajrasattva is often depicted seated with vajra scepter held in front of his heart. The vajra is the symbol of compassion, and Vajrasattva personifies attainment of great bliss consciousness --compassion. Not unlike Avalokiteshvara(Kuan Yin), Vajrasattva is a celestial Bodhisattva persists to help beings on earth. He is the Tantric male archetype deity, as Vajradhara is the quintessential female of the Vajra Buddha clan.
The simplicity of this wood carving is an elegant example of the late Qing Buddhist sculpture. With well carved braised hair falling on both shoulders, and an unusually simple head bend for a Bodhisattva , Vajrasattva appearer youthful with great charm. Seated in dhyanasana with contemplative down cast eyes, his upright posture seems to project a vigor that lends much monumentality to the statue, creating an impression of a bronze sculpture more than an antique wood carving that exceeds a hundred years.