Art

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