Art

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

Buddha Shakyamuni as a Newborn Infant

Legend has it that the Buddha took his first steps immediately upon being born. With his right hand, he pointed to heaven; with his left hand he pointed to the ground and stated that in this lifetime he would attain Buddhahood and free all beings from their suffering.

That is the very moment captured in this small metal figure. The Buddha is portrayed as a naked, chubby infant, and does not yet bear the typical markings of a buddha.