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)

Seated Shri-Devi 9th century Indonesia (Java). Seated Shri-Devi 39043

Relief Plaque of Hindu Deity, Probably Processional: Face of a Deity probably 14th-16th century Nepal (Kathmandu Valley) These "masks" were likely intended for use in the creation of lifelike effigies of the gods, the metal face to be affixed to a carrying frame and the figures dressed in textiles. Such constructions were intended for processional use, as seen in related practices in the Hindu communities of Himachal Pradesh, in the western hills of north India, where image-palanquins of this type are carried by devotees during festivals.. Relief Plaque of Hindu Deity, Probably Processional: Face of a Deity. Nepal (Kathmandu Valley). probably 14th-16th century. Repoussé copper alloy. Metalwork

Head of Buddha statue, Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Seated Ganesha India, Kashmir mid-9th century Much worn from ritual ablutions, this small figure of Ganesha was probably used in a personal shrine. The gods stepped pedestal, lotus throne, and tripartite crown are all attributes of images created in Kashmir. This region was an early center for the worship of Shiva, so it is not surprising that his corpulent son would also be venerated there. View more. Seated Ganesha. India, Kashmir. mid-9th century. Stone. Sculpture

The Bodhisattva Vajrapani (Tibetan: Chana Dorje) and His Consort. Central Tibet, 15th century. Sculpture. Gilt copper with paint

Avalokitesvara.Avalokitesvara (Guanyin), standing on a pedestal; With the left hand he makes the gesture of reassurance and in the judge he has a vase.

Shrine with Four Jinas (Rishabhanatha Adinatha), Parshvanatha, Neminatha, and Mahavira). India, Uttar Pradesh, circa 600. Sculpture. Sandstone

Asian statue turned slightly to side

Guanyin, Anonymous, 1100 - 1200

Amitayus Trinity ca. 15th century Tibet This triad with Amitayus (Amitabha) on an openwork lotus throne flanked by two similarly enthroned Taras celebrates the symbolism of the lotus that is so essential to South Asian art. Two devotees snake-hooded nagas, guardians of the earth’s treasuresemerge from the waters, hands raised in veneration.. Amitayus Trinity. Tibet. ca. 15th century. Copper alloy with traces of gold paint, inlaid with silver and gold. Sculpture

Seated figure, India, about 800-1900 AD. The bronze figure represents Padmasambhava, the Buddhist master credited with establishing Buddhism in Tibet.

statuette of Buddha isolated on white statuette of Buddha isolated on white Copyright: xZoonar.com/VVxVoennyyx 5012392

Standing Four-Armed Avalokiteshvara Flanked by Tara and Bhrikuti() second half of the 9th-early 10th century Indonesia (Java). Standing Four-Armed Avalokiteshvara Flanked by Tara and Bhrikuti() 39036

Chinese Art. Buddha Heshang. China, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Copenhagen. Denmark.

Seated Deity from an Esoteric Buddhist Mandala ca. third quarter of the 10th century Indonesia (Java). Seated Deity from an Esoteric Buddhist Mandala 39050

Seated Buddha 18th century China. Seated Buddha. China. 18th century. Jade (nephrite). Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Jade

Buddhist statue, Mandalay, Myanmar

Twenty-One Emanations of the Goddess Tara. Culture: Tibet. Dimensions: H. 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm); W. 10 1/4 in. (26 cm); D. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); Wt. 21 lbs (9.5 kg). Date: 14th century.The enthroned Tara grants boons to devotees. She is surrounded by emanations displaying essentially the same iconography. In worship, each Tara is visualized as the bearer of different boons-- the bringer of prosperity, the dispeller of sorrow, the destroyer of attachments. Below is a monk meditating on this visualization of White Tara and her emanations. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Orange butterfly on a Buddha figure

Idol of god Ganesh in bronze metal on red background Copyright: xAnilxDave/DinodiaxPhotox

Portable Shrine with the Buddha Shakyamuni Preaching his First Sermon 5th-6th century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara) The Buddha holds his hands in the teaching gesture (dharma chakra mudra). To his left sit two of the five monks who heard his sermon in the deer park at Sarnath. The distinctive flat cut drapery and green schist typify late Gandharan portable images that circulated from Kashmir to Khotan in Central Asia.. Portable Shrine with the Buddha Shakyamuni Preaching his First Sermon 38541

Bronze seated figures of Avalokiteshvara, the earthly manifestation of the self-born eternal Buddha Amitabha. Dated 12th Century

One of a Pair of Attendant Bodhisattvas 10th-11th century China. One of a Pair of Attendant Bodhisattvas 61666

Standing Devi, 1100s. India, Ladakh, 12th century. Brass; overall: 23.7 cm (9 5/16 in.).

Seated Mahavira; Karnataka; India. Mahavira (The Great Hero) was the founder of the modern Jainism. He lived in the 6th century BC and is shown nude.

Seated Guanyin with a Child, Accompanied by the Dragon Daughter, anonymous, c. 1700 - c. 1749 Image of porcelain on pedestal, covered with a translucent white glaze. A sitting Guanyin on her throne with a child on her lap. On either side of the throne originally two adorants on a lotus flower or pod, one of which is still present. Above the adorants originally two attributes, of which only the book is still present. Two four -clawy dragons wriggle around the throne and the foot is decorated with waves. Two parts missing, the child's hand has been restored, some fingers of Guanyin missing and a baking tear in the pedestal. Blanc the Chine. China porcelain. glaze vitrification Image of porcelain on pedestal, covered with a translucent white glaze. A sitting Guanyin on her throne with a child on her lap. On either side of the throne originally two adorants on a lotus flower or pod, one of which is still present. Above the adorants originally two attributes, of which only the book is still

Figure of Guanyin standing on a cloud. unknown, craftsman

Seated monk, 19th century AD. Created out of lacquered and gilded wood, set with coloured glass. It probably came from a large wooden shrine.

Daoist Immortal Laozi. Artist: Chen Yanqing (active 15th century). Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 7 1/2 in. (19 cm); W. 4 3/4 in. (12 cm); D. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm). Date: dated 1438.The full beard helps to identify this figure as Laozi (also known as the Celestial Worthy of the Way and Its Virtue), the author of the seminal Daoist text the Daodejing (The Way and Its Power). Daoism, a term used to define an amalgamation of beliefs and practices that includes metaphysical and philosophical speculations as well as more mundane attempts to achieve immortality, can be traced to the sixth century B.C. and the writings of the quasi-historical Laozi. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin). Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm); W. 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm); D. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm). Date: 8th century.This bodhisattva can be identified as Avalokiteshvara by the small sculpture of a Buddha on his headdress and by the vessel he holds in his right hand. The shape of this vessel, particularly its bird's-head top, typifies metalwork and ceramics produced in China in the late seventh and early eighth centuries. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Figure of Guanyin. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm). Date: 17th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Pillar Support of an Addorsed Female Bodhisattva and an Offering Goddess. Tibet; Densatil. Date: 1401-1500. Dimensions: 26 x 7.9 x 7.9 cm (10 1/4 x 3 1/8 x 3 1/8 in.). Gilt bronze with gemstones. Origin: Tibet. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Tibetan Buddha statue made of bronze

Seated Buddha ca. 16th century Cambodia. Seated Buddha. Cambodia. ca. 16th century. Silver. Sculpture

Mahvajrabhairava in the aspect of the keeper of the Doctrine. Buddhist. Tibetan, 17th century

Bodhisattva Padmapani, 900s-1000s. Western Tibet, 10th-11th century. Brass inlaid with silver and gold; overall: 26.2 cm (10 5/16 in.).

Figure of Bodhisattva. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 6 5/16 in. (16 cm); W. 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm); L. 2 3/16 in. (5.5 cm). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Chakrasamvara Embracing Vajravarahi, 1403-1424, 7 5/8 x 6 3/16 x 3 5/16 in. (19.37 x 15.72 x 8.41 cm), Gilt bronze, Tibet, 15th century, The embrace of the esoteric deity Chakrasamvara and his consort, Vajravārāhī, symbolizes the union of wisdom and compassion, an important principle of Vajrayana Buddhism. The four-faced, twelve-armed god holds Vajravārāhī in his arms while trampling on the Hindu deities Bhairava and Kalaratri, who represent ignorance and evil.

Tara, the Buddhist Savior 12th-early 13th century Nepal (Kathmandu Valley) Tara is the supreme savior and goddess of mercy in Vajrayana Buddhism, best understood as a female counterpart to a bodhisattva. She stands gracefully, extending her open hand is a gesture of granting boons (varada mudra) to devotees. The lotus in full bloom and her golden face suggest she is understood as Sitatara, (White Tara”), a female form of Avalokiteshvara Padmapani.. Tara, the Buddhist Savior. Nepal (Kathmandu Valley). 12th-early 13th century. Gilt-copper alloy with color and gold paint. Thakuri-Early Malla periods. Sculpture

Statue of Buddha, Bangkok, Thailand

Wooden Buddha. Buddhist temple. France.

Monumental Head of Buddha 4th-5th century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara) or Afghanistan. Monumental Head of Buddha 38232

Statuette of Buddha Sitting on Engraved Throne 10th century Korea Legend has it that Buddhism was first introduced to Japan in 552 by a Korean king who sent "an image of Shakyamuni in gold and copper, several flags and umbrellas, and a number of volumes of sutras" along with a memorial lauding Buddhism as "amongst all doctrines the most excellent...Every prayer is fulfilled and naught is wanting" (Nihon Shoki, trans. W.G. Ashton, vol. 29, sects. 33-35). This legend may or may not be based on an actual historical event; nevertheless, the early Yamato and Nara states of Japan did have a flourishing trade with Korea and the Asian continent, which continued until the end of the Chinese Tang dynasty in the ninth century. Artisans, monks and diplomatic missions brought a rich array of fascinating objects both religious and secular, to Japan. In the early years of Japanese Buddhism, the faith was largely patronized by the ruling clan, which set up a centralized government modeled on the Tan

Kubera, God of Wealth, and His ConsortRiddhi

Bodhisattva Guanyin, devotional painted wooden figure, Jin dynasty, 1115-1234, Shanxi, British museum, London, England, Great Britain.

Bronze statue of the God Vishnu, the Supreme God Svayam Bhargava of Vaishnavism. Dated 12th Century

Shiva, Uma, and Their Son Skanda (Somaskandamurti). Culture: India (Tamil Nadu). Dimensions: H. 29 7/8 in. (53 cm); W. 21 7/8 in. (55.6 cm); D. 10 1/4 in. (26.2 cm). Date: early 11th century.Somaskandamurti is one of the most popular religious images in South India. The four-armed Shiva holds a battle-ax and a deer in his upper hands and a citron in his lower left hand. His lower right hand is raised in abhayamudra (the gesture that allays fear). His consort, Parvati, clasps a water lily in her right hand. Between them stands Skanda, their infant son, bejeweled and with a lotus in his right hand. Four rings at the lower corners of the pedestal allowed the sculpture to be secured to a platform in order to be carried in processions. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Vishnu; 19th century (1830-00-00-1880-00-00);

Stele with Buddha Dipankara (Randeng) China. Northern Wei dynasty (386534) dated 48995. Sandstone with traces of pigment

Shiva Nataraja (Lord of the Dance), c. 1100, 28 in. (71.12 cm), Bronze, India, 11th or 12th century, The Hindu god Shiva appears in several incarnations. Here, Shiva appears as Nataraja, or Lord of the Dance. He raises his left foot in a graceful dance pose. In his upper right hand, Nataraja holds a drum, the sound of which manifests creation. The flame that he holds in his upper left hand symbolizes destruction. Together, they symbolize the creation and destruction of the cosmic universe. The posture of the icons lower left and right palms signifies protection. The foot that rests on the demons back symbolizes the elimination of ignorance, while the raised left foot signifies salvation. A now missing ring of fire, symbolic of the simultaneous and continuous creation and destruction of the universe, would have encircled the bronze icon.

Stele with Maitreya and attendant bodhisattvas dated 534 (3rd year of Yongxi reign) China. Stele with Maitreya and attendant bodhisattvas. China. dated 534 (3rd year of Yongxi reign). Stone. Northern Wei dynasty (386-534). Sculpture

Six-Armed God Ganesha. Nepal. Date: 1601-1700. Dimensions: 29.4 x 19 x 8.1 cm (11 5/8 x 7 1/2 x 3 3/16 in.). Bronze with traces of red pigment. Origin: Nepal. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Bronze Sculpture, Thai figure, playing a sitar, Thailand, Asia

The Mahasiddha (Great Adept) Luyipa. Nepal, Patan or Thimi, early 17th century. Sculpture. Terracotta

Bodhisattva Manjushri (Wenshu) late 10th-early 12th century China The scroll held in the bodhisattvas left hand identifies the figure as Manjushri, the personification of spiritual wisdom, who is generally shown holding such a text in the form of either a Chinese-style handscroll or an Indian-style palm-leaf manuscript.. Bodhisattva Manjushri (Wenshu) 42724

Old Hindu deity, bronze, from India

Manjuvajra and Vidyadhara in Ecstatic Embrace (Yab-Yum) ca. 17th-18th century Tibet Manjuvajra is an esoteric form of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom.. Manjuvajra and Vidyadhara in Ecstatic Embrace (Yab-Yum) 37611

Buddha descending from Tavatimsa Heaven and displaying the Vitarka Mudra, 8th century Davaravati Mon style bronze image from Ban Fai, Buri Ram, Bangko...

Buddhist monk mid- to late 6th century China. Buddhist monk. China. mid- to late 6th century. Gilt leaded bronze, piece-mold cast. Northern Qi (550-77) or Sui (581-617) dynasty. Sculpture

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin). Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 17 1/4 in. (43.8 cm); W. 5 in. (12.7 cm); D. 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm). Date: late 6th century.This sculpture is one of the earliest known examples of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara holding a willow branch. The willow, which later becomes standard in the imagery of Avalokiteshvara, is associated with healing. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Head of Bhairava 16th century Nepal, Kathmandu Valley A fearsome form of the Hindu deity Shiva, the wide-eyed and fanged Bhairava embodies rage. Flames emit from his mouth, eyes, eyebrows, and chin, and his red hair appears as an aureole of fire. He wears a diadem entwined with snakes and skulls and set with large rock crystals, pendant ear ornaments of coiled snakes. A small hole that pierces the inner mouth was used during the annual Indrayatra festival to funnel beer through a drinking tube to bless eager devotees. The representation of Bhairava as an independent, masklike head is unique to the Newari metalworkers of Nepal, who were famous throughout the Himalayan world for their skills in working copper. This mask's similarity to an inscribed example dated 1560 suggests it was made in the mid-sixteenth century.. Head of Bhairava 78187

Hinduism. Sitting Ganesha. Pyllite. Late Pala, 11th century. Until 1945. Museum fur Volkerhunde, Berlin, Germany.

Vajrapani Attends the Buddha at His First Sermon ca. 2nd century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara) Vajrapani stands to the Buddhas right, holding a bar-shaped vajra (thunderbolt). In this early period, artists depicted Vajrapani as a muscular hero, drawing on Heracles imagery that came to Gandhara through trade. Significantly, Vajrapani does not appear in the written narrative describing the first sermon; instead, the vajra-holding figure was added in order to protect the Buddha and bring auspiciousness to the narrative scene. The Buddha sets the wheel of law (dharma) in motion, revealing the teachings to the surrounding five monks, who in turn spread this doctrine and establish the monastic order.. Vajrapani Attends the Buddha at His First Sermon 38118

Vishnu with Shri, and Bhu, 900-950. South India, Tamil Nadu, probably Pudokkatai, early Chola Dynasty, 10th Century. Granite;

Bodhisattva Guanyin, devotional painted wooden figure, Jin dynasty, 1115-1234, Shanxi, British museum, London, England, Great Britain

Metal statue of buddha, close up

Krishna, anonymous, c. 1500 - c. 1700 Image of the whistling Krishna. Orissa brass (alloy) Image of the whistling Krishna. Orissa brass (alloy)

Seated Bodhisattva 8th century() Pakistan. Seated Bodhisattva. Pakistan. 8th century(). Bronze. Sculpture

Gandharva, Anonymous

Head of Bhairava. Hindu deity. Carved and painted wood. Kathmandu valley, Nepal. Early 18th Century.

Head of Buddha , 7th century or later. Bronze, height: 3 in. (7.6 cm). Asian Art 7th century or later

Shiva, Uma, and Their Son Skanda (Somaskandamurti) early 11th century India (Tamil Nadu) Somaskandamurti is one of the most popular religious images in South India. The four-armed Shiva holds a battle-ax and a deer in his upper hands and a citron in his lower left hand. His lower right hand is raised in abhayamudra (the gesture that allays fear). His consort, Parvati, clasps a water lily in her right hand. Between them stands Skanda, their infant son, bejeweled and with a lotus in his right hand. Four rings at the lower corners of the pedestal allowed the sculpture to be secured to a platform in order to be carried in processions.. Shiva, Uma, and Their Son Skanda (Somaskandamurti). India (Tamil Nadu). early 11th century. Copper alloy. Chola period (880-1279). Sculpture

ShivaNataraja

Young - monk; 19th century (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);

Pair of Guardian Figures (Zuishin), c. 1560-1625. Japan, Muromachi period (1392-1573) to Edo period (1615-1868). Japanese cypress (hinoki) with traces of color; crystal; 68.5 x 71.4 cm (26 15/16 x 28 1/8 in.); 70.2 x 70.5 cm (27 5/8 x 27 3/4 in.). Sculptors carved these two figures to look like members of the guard who protected the Japanese aristocracy in the 10th to 12th centuries. The pair belong in the roofed gate of a Shinto shrine. Their role was to embody the divine protectors of the deities, or kami, residing at the shrine. Their inset crystal eyes make them appear vigilant.

Dancing Vajravarahi. Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery (), circa 15th century. Sculpture. Gilt copper alloy inlaid with gemstones; traces of paint

Mayan ceramic female figurines representing a sea goddess. From Jaina, Mexico 600-900 AD

Shiva Embracing Parvati 1199-1299 Tamil Nadu. Bronze .

Göttin Parvati Goddess Parvati, Vijayanagar, India, 17th century, copper, MuEC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain LicenseRF Copyright: xZoonar.com/Tolox 23171245

Altarpiece with the First Jaina Tirthankara Rishabhanatha Surrounded by Twenty-Three Other Tirthankaras 1089 India. Brass inlaid with copper and silver .

Asian figure for sale in a street market in 6th Avenue Manhattan New York

Kwan Yin The Chinese Goddess of Mercy From the book Myths of China and Japan by Donald A Mackenzie published c1915

Seated Bodhisattva, Possibly Padmapani 3rd-5th century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara) The seated figure is richly adorned with a collar, a necklace with a central bead, earrings, a cord of amulet cases worn diagonally across the chest, a sacred thread falling loosely over the right arm, and two pairs of bracelets. He holds an inverted lotus, suggesting that he represents either the Bodhisattva Padmapani (Lotus Bearer) or an early form of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. It is unusual for a bodhisattva to be depicted seated in a lotus posture, and thus the precise identity of this figure remains controversial.. Seated Bodhisattva, Possibly Padmapani 38783

Jain Tirthankara. Gujarat, India. Second half of the 12th century AD. The marble teacher figure is shown in the pose of meditation.

Finial with the Earth Goddess, Nan Brah Dharani, and Standing Vishnu ca. first half of the 13th century Cambodia or Thailand. Finial with the Earth Goddess, Nan Brah Dharani, and Standing Vishnu 39601

Statue of the Buddha Amida Nyorai. Dated 16th Century

Esoteric Personification of the Vajra 15th century Nepal, Kathmandu Valley This wrathful Tantric Buddhist personage, with a shaved head, a vertical third eye, and upward-pointing fangs, is unidentified. His jewelry derives from eastern Indian prototypes of the Pala period (9th-12th century). He points a single-pronged thunderbolt scepter (vajra) toward a heart-shaped cavity at the center of his chest, itself occupied by a multipronged vajra. In his raised hand he holds a sword pommel with a guard in the shape of a lion's head.. Esoteric Personification of the Vajra. Nepal, Kathmandu Valley. 15th century. Copper with traces of gilding. Sculpture

Arhat holding a shoe 18th-19th century China Although not represented in Indian or Southeast Asian art, luohans (Sanskrit: arhats) play an important role in China, where they appear in both religious painting and sculpture and as a theme in the decorative arts. Originally the disciples of the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni, luohans are understood as protectors of Buddhism and the devout.. Arhat holding a shoe. China. 18th-19th century. Bamboo. Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Bamboo

Kharamukha Samvara 1700-1800. Tantric Buddhist deity. Made from gilded brass; Tibet

Volcanic Stone Buddha Head. Indonesian. Dated 9th Century

Gandhara, 2nd century. This shows four sides in the life of the Buddha: his birth, enlightenment, his first Sermon and the visit of Brahma and Indra.

Stone Seated Vairocana Buddha at Dopiansa temple a 10-century-old Korean temple in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province. Great monk Doseon constructed a metal-made Buddhist statue to enshrine in Anyang temple. Korea

Japanese Idol. Unknown, photographer 1860s-1870s View of the "Great Buddha" statue at the Kotoku-in Buddhist Temple, a monumental bronze statue depicting a seated Buddha. Five people can be seen sitting or standing on different parts of the statue. (Recto, mount) lower right, below image, in purple ink: "Japanese Idol";

Famous National Museum of Korea in the beautiful Buddha Collection of rare Buddha's in Seoul Korea

Three seated luohans 16th-17th century China Not all images of luohans depict them as exotic, superhuman beings. This sculpture comes from a tradition of realistic luohan representation, in which the figures are presented as familiar old monks with Chinese features. Sitting on roughly hewn rocks, the three luohans engage in study and meditation; they were probably once part of a larger tableau.. Three seated luohans 42118

seated buddha image protected by the seven-headed naga Sitting cross-legs with legs locked together

Buddhist monk Budai 17th-18th century China Budai, a tenth-century monk, was known for his laughing face and round stomach. Named after the cloth sack (budai) that he carries under his arm, he is believed to be the incarnation of Maitreya, the future Buddha, who helps common people in the mortal world.The porcelain of the Dehua kilns in Fujian Province is characterized by its thick, lustrous, clear glaze and white paste. It is generally referred to in Western writings as blanc de chine or China white.”. Buddhist monk Budai. China. 17th-18th century. Porcelain with ivory glaze (Dehua ware). Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Ceramics

Information panel with photos of images from Buddhism and accompanying texts in Dutch; Borobudur exhibition: art and religion in ancient Java ..

One of the One Million Pagodas” (Hyakumanto) ca. 764-70 Japan This miniature wooden pagoda (tŏ) is one of one million (hyakuman) commissioned by the Empress Shŏtoku (718-770) and distributed to Japan’s ten major temples. It originally was created to commemorate and offer thanks to Buddhist deities for their help in suppressing the Emi Rebellion in 764. This example belonged to the temple Hŏryǔji in Nara, where three thousand of the one million pagodas were given away in 1908 to those contributing to an appeal for funds. Each pagoda was painted white and contained a printed Buddhist text called a darani (Sanskrit: dharani), or invocation. The text displayed here came from the pagoda on known as the Jishin’in darani, the invocation is one of four from the sacred text Mukujŏkŏkyŏ (Sanskrit: Vimala Mirbhasa Sutra) found in the pagodas. These printed texts are among the oldest known in the world. They are likely to have been printed from bronze plates, but some scholars maintain that they

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