Avalokiteshvara Padmapani

Avalokiteshvara Padmapani

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bodhisattva as the lotus-bearer Padmapani was a favored form of Avalokiteshvara, the embodiment of Buddhist compassion. His identifiers are the lotus (padma) held in his left hand, and the small figure of the Buddha Amitabha atop his head. In this early representation, he sits in royal ease, with one leg pendant and a hand poised as if gesturing contemplation. The antelope skin over his shoulder is a reminder of his ascetic nature, akin to Shiva.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Avalokiteshvara PadmapaniAvalokiteshvara PadmapaniAvalokiteshvara PadmapaniAvalokiteshvara PadmapaniAvalokiteshvara Padmapani

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.