Mahasiddha, Possibly Campaka, the Flower King

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A wide-eyed mahasiddha plays symbols and sings ecstatically. Such yogis belong to an Indian tradition of eccentric practitioners of Tantrism, much revered in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. Mahasiddhas were instrumental in introducing the meditation system perfected by the Dzogchen masters of the Nyingma order, founded by Padmasambhava in the eighth century.

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