Art

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