Par nirvana (death and transcendence of the Buddha) and attendant arhats

Par nirvana (death and transcendence of the Buddha) and attendant arhats

Qiao Bin

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This is a depiction of the Buddha’s nirvana. His attendants are all in deep sorrow: one wipes away a tear, while others seem to be crying out or, alternatively, at a loss for words. The Buddha, however, is shown in a state of near sleep, indicating a heavenly wisdom. According to the inscription on the back and sides of the couch on which the Buddha reclines, a monk had these sculptures made in 1503 as a private act of devotion. They were originally part of a larger group of figures from the Qiao family workshop in Yangcheng, Shanxi Province.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Par nirvana (death and transcendence of the Buddha) and attendant arhatsPar nirvana (death and transcendence of the Buddha) and attendant arhatsPar nirvana (death and transcendence of the Buddha) and attendant arhatsPar nirvana (death and transcendence of the Buddha) and attendant arhatsPar nirvana (death and transcendence of the Buddha) and attendant arhats

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.