Art

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

Buddha Shakyamuni and the Earth-Touching Gesture

This figure depicts Buddha Shakyamuni sitting in the lotus position upon a double lotus plinth. With his right hand he touches the ground to signify the moment of his awakening. 
The Buddha wears a tight-fitting robe that leaves his right shoulder uncovered. His serene expression indicates the intensity of his contemplative state. His tightly curled hair still reveals the blue colouring required by iconographic convention.