Historical Buddha Statues

Ancient bronze and gold statues of Bodhisattvas and Buddhas displaying intricate craftsmanship from various Asian cultures.

Buddhas Akjamuni; 18th century () (1701-00-00-1900-00-00);Purchase (provenance)

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Seated with Hand in Gesture of Gift Giving (Varadamudra) 701 CE-900 CE Swat. Brass inlaid with silver .

Vajradhara Buddha Seated Holding a Thunderbolt (Vajra) and Bell (Ghanta). Tibet; Southern Tibet. Date: 1401-1500. Dimensions: 16.5 x 10 x 7.6 cm (6 1/2 x 3 15/16 x 3 in.). Silver and semiprecious stones. Origin: Southern Tibet. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Bodhisattwa Amitajus unknown

Vajrasattva. Vajrasattva, seated on double lotus.

Buddhas Akjamuni; 18th century () (1701-00-00-1900-00-00);Purchase (provenance)

Buddha Shakyamuni. Tibet or Nepal, 11th-12th century. Sculpture. Copper alloy with traces of paint

The Divine Architect, Vishvakarman 1201-1300 Cambodia. Bronze .

Buddha Shakyamuni. Burma (Myanmar), 10th century. Sculpture. Copper alloy

Bodhitwa Awalogiesara Gayin PSA unknown

Buddha Sakyamuni. unknown, craftsman

Seated Buddha with Double-Lotus Base late 11th century Burma. Seated Buddha with Double-Lotus Base. Burma. late 11th century. Bronze inlaid with silver and copper. Pagan period. Sculpture

Seated Bodhisattva 770 CE-780 CE Japan. This rare and important sculpture represents a Buddhist bodhisattva, or bosatsu, an enlightened and compassionate being who postponed Buddhahood in order to help save others. Calm, stately, and full-bodied, the bosatsu is seated in a frontal, meditative pose; his gracefully held hands, raised midair, make a gesture of assurance. Buddhism, which originated in India with the teachings of the Buddha Sakyamuni, or Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563-c. 483 B.C.), was named the official religion of Japan at the beginning of the eighth century by the Emperor Shomu (701-56). This small, finely crafted lacquer figure is the only Buddhist sculpture outside Japan that is firmly attributed to the influential sculpture workshop of Todai-ji, the largest and most prestigious of the great state-sponsored Buddhist temples built during the Nara period. This sculpture represents a dramatic shift in Japanese sculptural traditionóa move away from the expensive, time-consumin

Seated Buddha 12th century India (Tamil Nadu, Nagapattinam). Seated Buddha. India (Tamil Nadu, Nagapattinam). 12th century. Copper alloy. Chola period (880-1279). Sculpture

Amida Nyorai. Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Overall: H. 34 5/8 in. (87.9 cm); W. 28 3/4 in. (73 cm); D. 22 3/4 in. (57.8 cm)Overall (with pedestal): H. 61 in. (154.9 cm); W. 39 in. (99.1 cm); D.39 in. (99.1 cm). Date: ca. 1250.Amida Nyorai (Sanskrit: Amitabha Tathagata), the Buddha of Limitless Light, sits upon a lotus pedestal at the center of the altar. His hands form a mudra of meditation. His benevolent gaze, directed toward the devotee below, is symbolic of his boundless compassion. Amida is flanked by his attendant bodhisattvas (kyoji ), Kannon (Sanskrit: Avalokitesvara) at right, and Seishi (Sanskrit: Mahasthamaprapta) at left, and is escorted by flying celestial beings. This sculptural configuration, known as an Amida Triad, or Amida-sanzon in Japanese, is a visualization of the Welcoming Descent (raigo) of Amida, who descends to this world with his heavenly retinue to provide salvation for all believers who have called upon his name. When a believer dies, Amida and his retinue

The Buddhist Goddess Nairatmya. Central Tibet, 16th century. Sculpture. Gilt brass with pigment and inlaid with turquoise

Buddha. Figurine of Buddha Marvijaya, sitting on a pedestal profiled.

Buddha image. Gold-plated bronze Buddha statue; Hand in Bhumisparsha Mudra (gesture of the earth's witness). Under the influence of N-O-India.

Figure of a Maitreya on a Tiered Pedestal, c. 1200. Nepal, late 12th-early 13th century. Gilded wood with polychrome; overall: 21.3 x 14.6 cm (8 3/8 x 5 3/4 in.).

Bodhisattva, late 500s-early 600s. China, Sui dynasty (581-618) - Tang dynasty (618-907). Stone with polychromy and gilding; overall: 40.2 cm (15 13/16 in.).

Buddha Shakyamuni

Buddha Shakyamuni Seated in Meditation (Dhyanamudra) 1101-1200 Nagapattinam. This meditating Buddha comes from the coastal town of Nagapattinam in southern India, which was, as a result of settlers from Srivijaya (Indonesia), one of the few places where Buddhism was still flourishing in the twelfth century. The Buddhaówith his elongated earlobes, the wheel marks on his palms, the urna between his brows, and the cranial protuberance covered with snail-shell curlsóis seated in the posture of meditation, with his hands resting on his lap (dhyanamudra), wearing a seemingly diaphanous monastic garment. As in other images from Nagapattinam, a flame emerges out of the Buddhaís cranial protuberance, probably signifying wisdom. This monumental granite sculpture originally would have graced a monastic site at Nagapattinam, which is also well known for its Buddhist bronzes. The Tamil inscription covering its back is no longer legible.. Granite .

The Bodhisattva Manjushri as a Youth 10th century Nepal, Kathmandu Valley Manjushri, a bodhisattva who embodies wisdom as the path to enlightenment, is closely related to the wisdom goddess Prajnaparamita. Both emerged in north Indian religious texts and imagery in the eighth century. Manjusrhi was a popular Buddhist savior figure in Licchavi Nepal.. The Bodhisattva Manjushri as a Youth. Nepal, Kathmandu Valley. 10th century. Copper alloy. Licchavi-Thakuri periods. Metalwork

Buddha Shakyamuni. Sri Lanka, 9th century. Sculpture. Copper alloy

Buddha Shakyamuni. Sri Lanka, 17th century. Sculpture. Gilt copper alloy

The Mahasiddha (Great Adept) Virupa, 837-909. Central Tibet, 15th century. Sculpture. Copper alloy inlaid with silver; traces of paint

SeatedBuddha

The Buddhist Goddess Tara. Indonesia, Central Java, late 9th century. Sculpture. Copper alloy

Monk Devotee. Thailand, Bangkok period, 19th century. Sculpture. Gilt copper alloy

Seated Amitabha, 1300s. Korea, Goryeo period (918-1392). Wood with lacquer and gilding; overall: 33 x 21 x 19.8 cm (13 x 8 1/4 x 7 13/16 in.).

Mahasiddha, Possibly Campaka, the Flower King early 14th century Tibet A wide-eyed mahasiddha plays symbols and sings ecstatically. Such yogis belong to an Indian tradition of eccentric practitioners of Tantrism, much revered in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. Mahasiddhas were instrumental in introducing the meditation system perfected by the Dzogchen masters of the Nyingma order, founded by Padmasambhava in the eighth century.. Mahasiddha, Possibly Campaka, the Flower King. Tibet. early 14th century. Copper alloy. Sculpture

The Medicine Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru. Western Tibet, 18th and 19th century. Golden copper figure. King of healing.

Bodhisattva 16th-17th century China. Bodhisattva 42730

Child-Giving Guanyin (Songzi Guanyin), 16th century, 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 13/16 in. (16.51 x 10.8 x 7.14 cm), Gilt bronze, China, 16th century, Guanyin, one of the most popular of all Buddhist deities, is shown here holding an infant boy in her lap; she is Songzi, the Child-Giving Guanyin. Male children were extremely important to Confucian family structure. They ensured not only the continuity of family and clan, but that there would be uninterrupted generations to carry on the rituals of ancestral worship. The Child-Giving Guanyin was prayed to by worshipers for healthy children and intelligent male heirs.

Karttikeya, the God of War 8th century India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) Here, the god of war sits regally on his vehicle, a peacock, as if enthroned. He displays the rosary (aksamala) favored by his father, Shiva, and, instead of his usual javelin, holds a disk standard seemingly with solar symbolism. This iconography is unprecedented.. Karttikeya, the God of War 39341

The Buddhist Goddess Vasudhara. Bangladesh, 11th century. Sculpture. Copper alloy

Seated bodhisattva, probably Manjushri (Wenshu) 8th-9th century China The heftiness of this bodhisattva's face and physique is characteristic of sculptures produced in China in the second half of the Tang dynasty, as are the figure's elaborate chignon and heavy jewelry. The text in the bodhisattva's right hand identifies the sculpture as a representation of Manjushri, the embodiment of spiritual wisdom.. Seated bodhisattva, probably Manjushri (Wenshu). China. 8th-9th century. Gilt leaded bronze. Tang dynasty (618-907). Sculpture

Buddhist Triumphant over Temptation, c. 1300-1320. China, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). Gilt bronze; overall: 28.6 cm (11 1/4 in.).

Preaching Buddha. Culture: India (Jammu & Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) or Pakistan. Dimensions: H. 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm). Date: 8th century.This Buddha, with his legs folded in a full yogic posture and his hands gesturing preaching, invokes the first sermon at Sarnath. The complex treatment of the monastic robes, most notably their pleated ends, is evidence of an unidentified monastic workshop, probably located in Kashmir or the Swat Valley. The treatment of the hair curls is unconventional, as is the extreme stylization of the eyes and eyebrow. Silver inlay marks the eyes and auspicious forehead mark (urna). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Buddhas Akjamuni; 18th century () (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);Paderewski, Ignacy Jan (1860-1941)-collection, Buddha (iconographer), gift (provenance), Himalayan (culture), lotus throne (iconogr.), Sino-Tibetan (style), art of Tibetan Buddhism, Himalayan art

Buddha Shakyamuni or Akshobhya, the Buddha of the East 11th-12th century Tibet The robust body of this early Tibetan Buddha seems to derive from the art of the North Indian post-Gupta period (seventh to eighth century), while its physiognomy is based on Central Asian prototypes of similar date. Few works of art from tenth-century Tibet have survived, but what does remain seems to be an eclectic synthesis of elements drawn from the artistic traditions of Central Asia, India, Nepal, and China.The identification of the statue is difficult. The earth-touching gesture (bhumisparshamudra), a variant of which our Buddha makes with his right hand, is most frequently associated with Shakyamuni, the Historic Buddha. It alludes to his victory over the evil demon Mara, who sought to disturb his meditation, and therefore his enlightenment. The same gesture is also associated with Akshobhya, one of the five great cosmic Buddhas central to the iconography of early Tibetan Buddhism. The position of th

Shadakshari Mahavidya 1099-1199 Bihar. Gilt bronze with silver and copper inlay .

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara(Guanyin)

Bodhisattva. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 49 1/2 in. (125.7 cm); W. 18 1/4 in. (46.4 cm). Date: 16th-17th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Seated Four-Armed Bodhisattva 10th century Indonesia (Java). Seated Four-Armed Bodhisattva 39056

'Vajrasattva'. Tibet, 16th century. Dimensions: height 22 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Eleven-Headed Avalokiteshvara. Tibet, Tholing region, early 11th century. Sculpture. Leaded brass

Enthroned Buddha Granting Boons. Culture: Pakistan (Gilgit Kingdom). Dimensions: H. 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm); W. 6 in. (15.2 cm); D. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm). Date: dated by inscription to ca. 600.This Buddha is one of the three earliest datable sculptures associated with the kingdom of Gilgit in northern Pakistan. All were commissioned by Queen Mangalahamsika, known from Gilgit manuscripts to have been the senior queen to King Vajraditayanandi (reigned ca. 600). The Sanskrit donor inscription engraved on the front cartouche states: "Om. This is a pious gift. This pious gift was ordered to be made by the Shri Paramadevi Highest Queen Mangalahamsika" (trans. O. von Hinueber). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Akshobhya, the Transcendent Buddha of the East 12th century Nepal (Kathmandu Valley) Akshobhya is one of the five Transcendent Buddhas of Esoteric Buddhism. His attribute, the thunderbolt scepter (vajra), is displayed on the cloth frontal of his lion-supported lotus throne.. Akshobhya, the Transcendent Buddha of the East. Nepal (Kathmandu Valley). 12th century. Copper with gold paint. Thakuri period. Sculpture

The Bodhisattva Vajrapani. Central Tibet, 13th century. Sculpture. Gilt brass

Naga-enthroned Buddha , 1100-1150. Cambodia, Angkor, Angkor Wat Period, 12th century. Bronze; overall: 58.4 x 28 cm (23 x 11 in.); figure: 31.4 x 27.6 x 18.5 cm (12 3/8 x 10 7/8 x 7 5/16 in.). Jayavarman VII, who built the great royal temple at Banteay Chhmar, linked himself with the image of the Buddha seated on a serpent, or naga, as the divine form under which he would be honored. During his reign, the naga-enthroned Buddha became a ubiquitous image for veneration, often set up together with Lokeshvara, who was associated with his father, and Prajnaparamita, the form under which his deceased mother was honored. Lokeshvara is the powerful enlightened being of compassion, while Prajnaparmita is the goddess who personifies wisdom. King Jayavarman VII, therefore, presented himself as the enlightened Buddha, the product of the union of Compassion and Wisdom, supported and glorified by the naga, which refers to the Khmer people. Images of the naga-enthroned Buddha have been found at Bant

Figurka Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara unknown

Guan Yin. 10th c. - 13th c. Bodhisattva of compassion. Chinese art. Song period. Sculpture on wood. FRANCE. ëLE-DE-FRANCE. Paris. Guimet Museum.

Buddha , The Bodhisattva Maitreya, anonymous, 700 - 900 Image of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, seated in Padmasana. Cashmir bronze (metal). silver (metal) Image of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, seated in Padmasana. Cashmir bronze (metal). silver (metal)

Terracotta Disciple of Buddha, 12th century Haripunchai style, Haripunchai National Museum, Lamphun, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Figurine of blessing Buddha isolated over the white background

Seated Tara, the Buddhist Savior 13th-15th century Tibet Tara offers boons with her right hand (varada mudra) and holds her left in a gesture of teaching (vitarka mudra). The image is remarkable for its elaborate gold and silver inlays, infusing life into the elaborate garments. Clearly, the patrons concern was to donate an exquisite image rather than one of larger scale. The figure reflects the earlier north Indian Pala style of the eleventh and twelfth centuries.. Seated Tara, the Buddhist Savior. Tibet. 13th-15th century. Copper alloy inlaid with gold and silver. Sculpture

Historischer gekrönter Shakyamuni-Buddha Historical crowned Shakyamuni Buddha, Tibet-Nepal, 15th century, Gilded and painted copper inlaid with turquoise, coral, and lapis lazuli, MuEC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain LicenseRF Copyright: xZoonar.com/BartomeuxBalaguerxRotgerx 23171470

Buddha Bhaishajyaguru. Burma (Myanmar), Shan States, 18th century. Sculpture. Copper alloy

Seated Buddha, 1500s. China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Gilt bronze; overall: 9.9 cm (3 7/8 in.).

Seated Buddha. Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918-1392), 13th-14th century. Sculpture. Cast silver with gilding

Seated Buddha ca. 19th century Thailand. Seated Buddha 38906

. These three figures of Guanyin clearly display the elegant style of the Tang dynasty. The influence of sculpture from India inspired more animated poses, which are further accentuated by elegant ribbons.

Jalandharapa is one of the traditional eighty-four Mahasiddhas. He is thought to have lived in India during the 10th century. Dressed more as a prince than as a yogi, he is offered a skull cup by his female partner, who can be regarded as either real or mythical.

Buddhism. Buddha Sakyamuni or Gautama. Inner Mongolia, 19th century. Brass, silver, hammering, casting, partial gilding, bronze and coral inlays, engraving. State Hermitage Museum. Saint Petersburg. Russia.

Kneeling Female Deity. Culture: Cambodia. Dimensions: H. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm). Date: second half of the 12th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Seated Buddha Vairocana early 8th century China The teaching gesture made by this figure, with the thumb of the right hand touching the little finger of the left, identifies him as Vairocana, the celestial Buddha who resides at the center of the cosmos. Vairocana is considered a transcendent form of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. Though similar in appearance, he exists on another plane, unhindered by a mortal body. Listen to experts illuminate this artwork's story Listen Play or pause #7461. Buddha Vairocana (Dari), Part 1 Play or pause #7462. Buddha Vairocana (Dari), Part 2 Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. We are working to make it available as soon as possible.. Seated Buddha Vairocana 54080

Seated Amitayus 17th-18th century Mongolia The Buddha Amitayus holds a pot that contains the elixir of life; he is credited with providing devotees with health and longevity. Exemplifying the high artistic traditions of Zanabazar, Amitayus face reflects his perfect state of meditation. The gilding of this delicately rendered image is especially effective in conveying the light that radiates from Amitayus body as an expression of his enlightenment.. Seated Amitayus. Mongolia. 17th-18th century. Gilt bronze. Sculpture

Crowned historical Buddha Sakyamuni. Tibet-Nepal, 15th C. 16th C. Golden copper scuplture. Detail.

The bodhissatva of trascendent wisdom ( Manjushri) 13th century. Copper and brass. Western Tibet. Museum world cultures. Barcelona.

Seated Ascetic, Deified King, Agni (The God of Fire) ca. 3rd century India (Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh) This rare and enigmatic sculpture is difficult to identify because he has the hairstyle and jewelry of a king or the god Agni but holds the flask of a Brahman ascetic and sits with a strap across his knees like a yogi. Stylisticallyespecially the way he holds his right hand in abhaya mudra (a gesture of approachability)this image can be closely related to sculptures found at the site of Kaushambi. His necklace can be directly compared to known Roman examples.. Seated Ascetic, Deified King, Agni (The God of Fire) 38970

Early Ayutthaya period standing gold Buddha, displaying the Abbaya Mudra, dating from the late 13th or early 14th century, Chao Sam Phraya National Mu...

Tibetan Buddha

Old Buddha sculpture, bronze, gilded, Medicine Buddha, from Tibet

Anonymous / 'Buddhist Idol, Vietnam'. Late XVII - Early XVIII century. Wood. Museum: Museo del Prado, Madrid, España.

Iron Buddha statue from the Goryeo period. Dated 1000 AD

Old, the old dpal ldan tshul khrims ,, c. 1500 - c. 1699 Image of the Lama Dpal Ldan Tshul Khrims (1333-1399), one of the masters in the transmission of the LAM "Bras (" Pad and Result ") Doctrine within the Sakyapa school of Tibetan Buddhism. With the right hand, De Lama opens the gesture of education (Vitarkamudra) and the left is open in the lap. On the back of the LotusCock is a Tibetan inscription that reads "honor to Dpal Ldan Tshul Khrims Pa". Central-tibet copper (metal) casting Image of the Lama Dpal Ldan Tshul Khrims (1333-1399), one of the masters in the transmission of the LAM "Bras (" Pad and Result ") Doctrine within the Sakyapa school of Tibetan Buddhism. With the right hand, De Lama opens the gesture of education (Vitarkamudra) and the left is open in the lap. On the back of the LotusCock is a Tibetan inscription that reads "honor to Dpal Ldan Tshul Khrims Pa". Central-tibet copper (metal) casting

Portrait of a Monk. Central Tibet, a Sakyapa Monastery, 14th century. Sculpture. Gilt brass and traces of paint

Akshobhya, the Buddha of the Eastern Pure Land. Culture: Nepal. Dimensions: H. 20 in. (50.8 cm); W. 14 3/4 in. (37 5 cm); D. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm). Date: 16th-17th century.The Buddha reaches his right hand down in bhumisparsha mudra, marking the moment when the historic Buddha Shakyamuni called upon the earth goddess to witness his resistance of the forces of Mara, immediately prior to his experiencing enlightenment. In the Esoteric Buddhist tradition, this iconography is associated with Akshobhya, cosmic Buddha of the East. The lotus buds embellishing the mandorla and the open flower serving as his throne may refer to the celestial abode of Akshobhya. This icon may have been integrated into the wall of a stupa or shrine as part of a set of directional Buddhas. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Nepal, Patan, Museum, Milarepa, statue,

Bodhidharma, 14th century, Unknown Japanese, 23 × 14 1/2 × 10 1/4 in. (58.42 × 36.83 × 26.04 cm), Wood; gold leaf, lacquer, crystal (eyes), Japan, 14th century, Bodhidharma was the Indian monk credited with transmitting Zen Buddhism to China in the 400s or 500s. He is thus worshipped widely as the patriarch of Zen.

Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva of Mercy), 800s. Java, 9th century. Bronze; overall: 16.7 x 9.8 cm (6 9/16 x 3 7/8 in.).

Seated Jina, c. 1108, 25 x 20 1/2 x 13in. (63.5 x 52.1 x 33cm), Black stone, India, 12th century, In Hinduism (Brahmanism), sculpture serves as a vessel for the divine spirit. In Jainism, sculptures like this one are inanimate and, instead, embody a model of behavior as perfected by the Jina. The Jina (perfected being) is a spiritual victor who has gained release from the world by abiding to strict principles of nonviolence and the abandonment of material possessions. Even physical or mental action is considered a form of material attachment. The Jina, of which there have only been 24 (the last being Jina Mahavira, founder of the Jain faith in the 500s bce), has arrived at the indestructible, immortal, and all-knowing inner soul. This ideal is expressed in the figures perfect stillness.

Bodhisattwa Awalokite WARA SADASKARI; XVIII-XIX century (1790-00-00-1810-00-00);

Buddha. Lanna Kingdom (Thailand). Bronze sculpture, 15th century. Dallas Museum of Art. State of Texas. United States.

The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Indonesia, Eastern Java, 14th century. Sculpture. Earthenware

Sitting Buddha Gold Statue close up in Buddhist Temple. Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand

Buddha, Thailand, 18th century, bronze, Anthropology National Museum, Madrid, Spain.

Figure of the Sakyamuni Buddha. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 5 5/16 in. (13.5 cm); W. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm); L. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Seated Ganesha ca. 15th century Thailand Ganesha is seated in a cross-legged yogic posture on a raised pedestal with a decorated molding. His dress and adornments are treated in a very restrained fashion that emphasizes the sculptor's concern with pure modeling and manipulation of volumes: he wears a short sampot, a threefold flap of the cloth draped over the right ankle, as well as bracelets, anklets, and snake armbands (both missing their heads). In proper iconographic fashion, the sacred thread is a serpent tied at the left shoulder, and in his right hand Ganesha holds his broken right tusk, in his left an elephant goad. His crown, which originally contained a gem in front and back, is of approximately the same shape as crowns found on sculptures from the later Sukhothai period as well as from the northern schools. Ganesha's trunk extends straight down, curving only at the very end.Suggestions of later Khmer motifs can still be seen in the schematic treatment of the folds of skin al

'Buddha Maravijaya (Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness)'. Siam (now Thailand). Ayutthaya art, early 15th century. Dimensions: h. 27 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Svetambara Enthroned Jina, with Attendant Yaksha and Yakshi ca. second half of the 11th century India (Gujarat) The jina is represented as a supreme yoga and acharya, an illustrious religious teacher. Elevated on a stepped cushioned throne supported by lions and elephants, symbols of bravery and strength, this tirthankhara embodies the Jain virtue of spiritual wisdom. An openwork back plate (now missing) would have evoked the heavenly palace in which he resides, accompanied by celestial adorers. Hisprincipal attendantsa seated yaksha and yakshiflank the throne, and kneeling deer listen to the teachings symbolized by the wheel (dharmachakra) at the center of the throne pedestal. This icon was once gildedtraces can still be detectedin keeping with the desire that it emit a sacred aura like that achieved by light reflecting off gold. Indian religions have long seen the ability to absorb and radiate light as indicative of divinity.. Svetambara Enthroned Jina, with Attendant Yaksha and

The Jina Buddha Amitabha. Vietnam, late 18th - early 19th century. Sculpture. Lacquer on wood core

Kumara with a Peacock 11th century Nepal (Kathmandu Valley) Kumara (the everlasting youthful son”) is an epithet of Skanda, a son of Shiva and Parvati. He is also synonymous with Karttikeya, the god of war in the Hindu pantheon. Here he is depicted as a child seated on a cushion, cradling a peacock, his mythical vehicle.. Kumara with a Peacock. Nepal (Kathmandu Valley). 11th century. Copper alloy. Thakuri period. Sculpture

Mother-Goddess Brahmani Seated in Yogic Posture Holding Water Pot 1201-1300 Nepal. This tantric Hindu female goddess is usually part of a set of seven mother goddesses (Brahmani, Vaishnavi, Maheshvari, Indrani, Kaumari, Varahi and Chamunda) called matrikas, but she is also revered as a goddess in her own right. The matrikas are the female shaktis (power, energy) of the male gods, and Brahmani is the shakti of the creator god Brahma. Like Brahma, she is typically shown with four heads (with the fourth one understood to be at the back), symbolizing omniscience, the four sacred scriptures (Vedas), the four castes, or the four time cycles (yugas). As a sage or female yogi, she often holds a rosary, and a water pot (kamandalu), and she sits in the yogic pose with a strap (yogapatta) to hold her legs in position. In Nepal, she is frequently depicted as here, with one head and two arms, instead of the multi-headed and multi-armed versions of the goddess in India.. Copper alloy .

. Image of the wealth god Kubera.

The Pala Empire, one of the major middle kingdoms of India, existed from 750-1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala. Manjushri is seated on his mount, a lion. His relaxed pose, with one leg hanging down, is called lalita-asana and is often found in images of bodhisattvas. On the water lily to the right of Manjushris head is his attribute - the book, a symbol of wisdom. Manjushri is making the gesture to set the wheel of doctrine in motion, the dharmacakra mudra.

Detail of statuette representing Buddha doing the reasoning mudra (hand gesture), Kamakura period, polychrome wood

Museum of the Orient. Stone sitting Buddha statue Lisbon. Portugal.

Seated Male Deity Supporting a Vajra on His Finger last quarter of 10th-first half of 11th century Indonesia (Java, Ngandjuk) Small sculptures such as these (1987.142.5, .7-.9) are now identified as images from a larger set that were used to create a three-dimensional mandala. Two complete mandalas of this type have been discovered in Indonesia, one in the village of Chandi Reja in 1913 and another more recently at Surucolo. Both groups are thought to represent a Diamond World or Vajradhatu Mandala, thereby linking these images to the traditions of East Asia in which mandalas of this type are also preserved.Their small size indicates that these figures would once have been used to define the outer regions of a three-dimensional mandala. These Indonesia sculptures, bodhisattvas that function as attendant or retinue deities, have been linked to a commentary written in the reign of the Pala ruler Mahipala, sometime during the last quarter of the tenth and the first half of the eleventh ce

Bodhisattva, anonymous, c. 1100 - c. 1300 Bodhisattva, seated in Maharajalila (attitude of the royal peace); the hands and the right foot are missing; In the back a storage place for small relics. China wood (plant material). gilding (material) gilding Bodhisattva, seated in Maharajalila (attitude of the royal peace); the hands and the right foot are missing; In the back a storage place for small relics. China wood (plant material). gilding (material) gilding

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