Seated Buddha Vairocana

Seated Buddha Vairocana

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The teaching gesture made by this figure, with the thumb of the right hand touching the little finger of the left, identifies him as Vairocana, the celestial Buddha who resides at the center of the cosmos. Vairocana is considered a transcendent form of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. Though similar in appearance, he exists on another plane, unhindered by a mortal body.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.