Art

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