Art

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

Relief of the Five Transcendent Buddhas

The Five Transcendent Buddhas are supramundane manifestations of the Absolute, or ultimate wisdom. Each embodies particular aspects of it, and each is attributed specific symbols and qualities. 

Each of the Five Transcendent Buddhas – Ratnasambhava, Akshobhya, Vairocana, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi – sits between pillars and beneath a decorative arch. The thrones of these Buddhas are borne by their respective mounts.