Art

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

Buddha Shakyamuni

This small figure of the Buddha comes from the Swat Valley, at the western end of the Himalayas in present-day Pakistan. From the 4th to the 7th century, life in the valley was profoundly shaped by Buddhism. Chinese travellers at the time reported over one thousand monasteries and temples. 

Stylistically, Swat figures clearly show the influence of Gandharan art, such as the naturalistic modelling of the body and the realistic folds of the drapery. Coppered lips and eyes inset with silver are typical features of art from the Swat Valley.