Art

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

Buddha Shakyamuni

The Buddha is seated in the diamond posture on a broad-leafed, double lotus throne. In the Buddhist tradition, the lotus serves among other things as a symbol of spiritual growth and awakening. That is why images of awakened beings tend to be seated upon a lotus throne. The Buddha’s left hand rests in his lap; with his right hand he displays the earth-witness gesture. His head of tight curls still reveals traces of lapis lazuli, which was commonly used in Tibet for ritual ornamentation. This figure was quite probably cast in eastern Tibet: its face is strongly reminiscent of contemporaneous Chinese pieces. Tibetan work that shows Chinese influences is described as “Sino-Tibetan”.