Buddha Vairocana (Dari)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This Buddha holds his hands in a “wisdom fist,” a gesture in which the left hand grasps the index finger of the right hand. This identifies him as Vairocana, one of the many celestial, or transcendent, Buddhas who were particularly important in China from the sixth through tenth centuries. Vairocana often makes this gesture when he is depicted at the center of the Womb World Mandala, and it is possible that this beautifully cast sculpture was once part of a larger grouping of images arranged as a mandala, or cosmic diagram.

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