Art

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