Art

  • The Four Pleasures of Nan Shenglu (detail)
  • Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
  • Head of a Lokeshvara
  • Great Stupa at Sanchi
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • Head of a Buddha
  • Mara’s Daughters Tempt the Buddha
  • Relief of the Five Transcendent Buddhas
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Vijaya Stupa
  • Pancha Raksha Manuscript
  • Half-length Portrait of the Zen Patriarch Bodhidharma
  • Thangka of the Twenty-One Taras
  • Praying Priest
  • Female Monkey with Her Young
  • The Four Excursions
  • Buddha Shakyamuni at the Moment of his Awakening
  • Guhyamanjuvajra
  • Printing Block for a Prayer from the Text “Embodiment of the Three Jewels” by Jatson Nyingpo (1585–1656)
  • Standing Monk with Hands Folded
  • Machig Labdrön
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Ascetic Milarepa
  • Standing Bodhisattva
  • The Arhats Bakula, Rahula, Cudapanthaka, and Pindola From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Buddha Shakyamuni as a Newborn Infant
  • Plaque Showing the Buddha Teaching
  • Monastic Rules for Monks
  • Gendün Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama (1476–1542)
  • Hotei, One of the Gods of Good Fortune, with Child
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Transcendent Buddha Akshobhya
  • Zen Priest in a Golden Wrap
  • Votive Stela with Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Budai
  • Buddha Maitreya
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Excerpt from the Lotus Sutra
  • Buddha Shakyamuni with Scenes from his Life
  • The Layman Huashang and Two Lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The Buddha’s Parinirvana
  • The Prophecy of the Wise Asita
  • The Arhats Panthaka, Gopaka, Nagasena, and Abheda From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • Taima Mandala, the Buddha Amida’s Paradise
  • Buddhist Monk
  • Head of a Monk
  • Portrait of the Abbot Ennin
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • The Buddha Begins Teaching
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Tames the Wild Elephant Nalagiri
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Arhats Vanavasin, Angaja, Kalika, and Ajita From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Gazelle
  • Jizo Bosatsu, Bodhisattva in the Guise of a Monk
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as the Patron of fishermen
  • The Arhats Kanakavasta, Vajriputra, Kanaka Bharadvaja, and Bhadra From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • The Death of the Buddha
  • Ceremonial Dagger Featuring the God of Death
  • Sakya Pandita (1182–1252)
  • Monumental Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Dharani Sutra of the Heart of the Perfection of Insight
  • Travel Shrine
  • Stela Showing Scenes from the Life of the Buddha
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Shaka Nyorai, the Historical Buddha
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion Sitting in Meditation
  • Dakini Vasya-Vajravarahi
  • Dharmapala Yama
  • The Three Buddhas Dipankara, Shakyamuni, and Maitreya
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Vase with Lotus Vines and the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism
  • Sitatara, White Tara
  • Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom
  • Stupa
  • Buddhist Monastic Rules from the Pali Canon
  • Buddha Shakyamuni 
  • Head of the Buddha
  • Padmasambhava
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • The Prophecy of the Buddha Dipankara
  • Green Tara (Shyama Tara)
  • Stupa
  • Yakshi, Nymph with Lotus Flowers, fragment of a baluster
  • Empress Jito, from the series “Parody of the Ogura Version of ‘One Hundred Poets, One Hundred Poems’ ”
  • Buddha Shakyamuni and the Earth-Touching Gesture
  • Buddhist Votive Stela of the Yan Family
  • Dharmatala and two lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Vajradhara, the Primordial Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Amida Nyorai, Buddha of the Western Paradise
  • Leaving for Homelessness
  • Buddha Vairocana
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion in the Posture of Royal Ease
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddha Shakyamuni From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • State Oracle Garment
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Attains Awakening Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Standing Tara
  • Head of the Buddha
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion as the Bringer of Sons
  • Portrait of the Zen Priest Gemmon Doyu
  • The 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617)
  • Standing Buddha Amida
  • Bodhidharma Crosses the Yangtze River on a Reed
  • Votive Stela Depicting Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Jambhala, the God of Wealth
  • Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Baisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha
  • Standing Buddha
  • Bodhidharma
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Prince Siddhartha’s Wedding
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Shakyamuni Enters Nirvana
  • The Buddha Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Six Persimmons
  • Bust of a Luohan
  • Rectangular Coin
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Meditating Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Buddhist Pocket-sized Prayer Altar
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Sheltered by the Serpent-King
  • Buddha Dipankara, the Buddha of the Past
  • Mahasiddha Virupa
  • Hotei
  • Large Votive Stupa
  • Ushnishavijaya
The Buddha’s Parinirvana

The Buddha’s Parinirvana

The Buddha’s parinirvana – meaning his final liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth – was an early subject of Buddhist stone sculptures, many of which were monumental. This figure, in contrast, is one of the smallest to treat the subject. As described in the Buddha legend, he lies here on his side and supports his head in his right hand.