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Sakyamuni Buddha
unknown - Enlarge image
Sakyamuni Buddha
- Object:
Figure
- Place of origin:
China (made)
- Date:
15th century (made)
- Artist/Maker:
unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Gilt bronze
- Credit Line:
Charlotte Alison Shaw Gift
- Museum number:
FE.58-1977
- Gallery location:
China, room 44, case 70
Buddhism originated in India from the teachings of an Indian prince, Sakyamuni. He was probably born at the end of the 6th century BC in a small state in Nepal, but decided to renounce his royal position to embark upon a monastic life.
This gilt bronze figure represents a crucial event in Sakyamuni's life. After leaving his palace and and experiencing various spiritual revelations, he sat under a tree waiting for enlightenment, vowing not to move. After resisting the attacks of Mara, the goddess of evil, Sakyamuni summoned up the Earth goddess to bear witness to his achievement. The bronze figure shows Buddha in this precise moment: he is sitting in a meditative posture with his legs crossed, while his right hand extends downward to touch the soil in the symbolic gesture called 'Bhumisparsamudra' (Touching the Earth). The image is nearly entirely gilded, apart from the hair, and was probably once covered by a thin layer of transparent lacquer.
