This monk is seated with legs crossed in the meditation position. His hands, garlanded with a prayer chain, are folded in front of his chest in a gesture of veneration. The naturalistic appearance of the body and robe along with the individualistic facial features lend the figure a sense of liveliness.
The raised collar and the gesture suggest that this is a monk from the Pure Land school (Jap. Jodo). Reciting invocations with the help of a prayer chain is a common practice in this school.