Descent of Eleven-Headed Kannon

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The bodhisattva Kannon is closely associated with the Buddha of Infinite Light, Amida Nyorai, who vowed to save all sentient beings by bringing them to his Pure Land in the West. This role is indicated in the iconography of his adornment. The crown and rays of light that emanate in all directions from his golden form recall Kannon’s role as the principal attendant to the Amida Buddha (Sanskrit: Amitābha) in visions of descent (raigō). Here, the bodhisattva comes alone to meet the believer, appearing on a cloud as though traveling in haste from his paradise in the southern ocean, called Mount Fudaraku (Sanskrit: Potalaka). His right hand, open to bestow compassion, is encircled by crystal prayer beads, and his left holds a lotus in a vase, representing the healing power of Buddhist law. Eleven diminutive heads atop his own signal the manifold ways he appears to hear, observe, and meet every need. The haloed topmost head is that of Amida.

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