The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in the Form of Shadakshari Lokeshvara: Folio from a manuscript of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom)

Mahavihara Master

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Lavishly illustrated Perfection of Wisdom texts are understood to contain the totality of Buddhist ideology. Often they were not read but rather were placed on altars so they could be venerated almost like images. This well-preserved Indian palm-leaf manuscript probably made its way to Tibet, where it survived in the cold, dry climate. The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in the Form of Shadakshari Lokeshvara In this four-armed form, Avalokiteshvara holds his primary hands in the gesture of veneration (anjali mudra) and, in the others, a mala (string of prayer beads) and a book. He sits in the yogic posture of meditation, flanked by goddesses and a god.

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