Tibet
16th century-17th century
This is the gesture of the Buddha calling the earth to witness his awakening.
Tibet
16th century-17th century
Sculptural portraits of such commanding dimensions were produced to commemorate only the highest religious dignitaries, although this sculpture’s subject is unknown. The figure conveys the teacher’s great psychological power, especially through his facial expression. His half-closed eyes are an indication of profound meditative absorption, his hands in the gesture of touching the earth, signifying his awakened state.His sleeveless vest suggests his Tibetan identity, as it is not part of Indic monastic dress. This sculpture fully reproduces the complexity of Tibetan monastic robes. A richly decorated sleeveless vest is covered by the main garment, which is folded just underneath the chest and held by a belt. Between these garments this teacher wears a scarf wrapped around his neck. A heavy cloak covers both shoulders and legs. Little of the body is left exposed, a reflection of the cold Tibetan climate.The quality of this sculpture is evident in the incised decoration of the robe. The robe decoration features many auspicious symbols ranging from the Chinese character for longevity (shou 壽) and cloud motifs on his inner vest to flower patterns on his outer robe. The scarf around his neck is intricately decorated with auspicious symbols, including the “seven jewels of a universal ruler” such as a rhinoceros horn, coral, and pairs of square and round earrings.The sculpture was created by the repoussé technique, hammering flat metal sheets into three-dimensional shapes, often in parts which are assembled, allowing for the creation of larger sculptures using less metal than a cast image. A joint in the right arm is clearly visible where parts were assembled, held together by rivets. The sculpture is completed in the round, with the ornamentation predominately on the front, with the vertical patterns of the folds of his outer cowl dominating the back.
shou 壽 (Chinese character for longevity)
This is the gesture of the Buddha calling the earth to witness his awakening.
Also known as vajra position, this posture is associated with meditation.
The passing down of authentic Buddhist teachings from a teacher to a disciple or student, often in the form of a text in a ritualistic context.
In Buddhism merit is accumulated through engaging in positive actions that lead to positive results, such as better rebirths. Buddhists gain merit by making offerings, donating to those in need, reciting mantras, and other good deeds.
The transmission of teachings from one generation to the next, from teacher to student, traced all the way back to the Buddha without interruption. A complete lineage is essential in Tantric Buddhist practices as it makes the blessings of the teaching more powerful.
Himalayan art includes portraits of legendary and historical humans, including accomplished religious teachers (lamas), the Buddha’s original disciples (arhats), and spiritually accomplished tantric masters (mahasiddhas).
Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.
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