The Gracious Buddha, Clad In A Luxuriant Robe

A calming image of the padmasana Buddha, the sculpture on this page is a strikingly unusual composition.The iconography is replete: the heels gathered directly below the navel, the dharmachakra mudra of one hand and the healing pot on the palm of the other, and the dense curls of his princely kesha (hair). The distinctively long earlobes, a sign of absolute wisdom (as opposed to material wisdom), and the kundalas pierced therein. The serrations of the conch on His neck, indicative of His sweet voice.

The Buddha’s gaze is the most unconventional aspect of this sculpture. His eyes are unshut. Large as they are, they are set perfectly against the handsome structure of the Shakyamuni’s countenance. With them, He looks straight ahead of Himself, a little downward, probably into the recesses of ihaloka, witness to the suffering of His devotees. His wide brow resembles the wings of the free and mighty albatross. Lips the shape of a young lotus are carved beneath the long, slender nose.

Zoom in the luxuriant carvings that grace the robe of the seated Buddha. Tropical vines, flowers the symbol of compassion (a core Buddhist value), and waves along the edges. The hems of His robe lie in lifelike folds on the surface of the embossed lotus pedestal. The signature pedestal in itself qualifies as a standalone work of art.