Birth of the Buddha

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Queen Maya reaches up to grasp a branch and miraculously gives birth to the Buddha. Emphasis is given to the representation of Maya, who affirms her status as both a yakshi (female nature deity) and the mother of the historical Buddha. The newborn Buddha is shown a second time, standing on flower petals receiving his first bath. Such an iconic representation of Maya reflects the status that Taras (female bodhisattvas) had assumed in the esoteric Buddhist communities of eastern India.

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