Thunderbolt Crown

Tibet

Early 20th century

Metal

Though monks in general do not cover their heads, hats do figure prominently in their official and ceremonial costume. Some hats have come to distinguish the two main orders of Tibetan Buddhism, largely based on their color: the Red Hat School (Nyingma-pa and other sects), and Yellow Hat School (Gelug-pa), of which the Dalai Lama is the head. 

It is unclear if this hat would actually have been worn by a monk in a Tibetan monastery or whether it perhaps adorned the head of a statue. However, its style is typically seen in depictions of Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. The dorjie (or thunderbolt scepter), which is depicted on the front and top of the crown, is one of the most important symbols in Tibetan Buddhism and is essential to many rituals and ceremonies. It represents the thunderbolt of enlightenment, a change in human consciousness in which a perfect state of knowledge, wisdom, and compassion is attained. The conch shells on the front, one of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism, signify Om, the sound of dharma (the cosmic order).