Mahakala Seated in Royal Ease

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mahakala, a fierce manifestation of the compassionate bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, is the supreme guardian of the Buddhist dharma (teachings) for the Sakya monastic order. His wrathful nature destroys all negative forces impeding spiritual awakening. Here Mahakala is seated on a prostrate corpse, symbolizing the ignorance he destroys and displaying the tools he uses to achieve this end.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art