Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom

Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Buddhist embodiment of transcendent wisdom wields a sword in one hand and a manuscript in the other, evoking the cutting away of ignorance and the transmission of enlightenment wisdom, respectively. The crown is distinctly Kashmiri in style, but the rendering of the figure suggests that the work was produced elsewhere, likely in neighboring Himachal Pradesh.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent WisdomManjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent WisdomManjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent WisdomManjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent WisdomManjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.