Meditating Buddha with Alms Bowl Enthroned in a Foliated Niche

Meditating Buddha with Alms Bowl Enthroned in a Foliated Niche

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This meditating Buddha with an alms bowl is likely the Amitabha Buddha in the form of one of the medicine Buddhas, such as Bhaisajyaguru. A horned monster face (kirtimukha) with a string of pearls issuing from his jaws provides a protective presence over the meditating Buddha, who is framed by a pearl-bordered nimbus. Foliage and two lotus flowers fill the arch. This architectural relief is a false window antefix from a Pala-period Buddhist monument.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Meditating Buddha with Alms Bowl Enthroned in a Foliated NicheMeditating Buddha with Alms Bowl Enthroned in a Foliated NicheMeditating Buddha with Alms Bowl Enthroned in a Foliated NicheMeditating Buddha with Alms Bowl Enthroned in a Foliated NicheMeditating Buddha with Alms Bowl Enthroned in a Foliated Niche

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.