Shaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and Sixteen Benevolent Deities

Shaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and Sixteen Benevolent Deities

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This devotional image would have been hung in a temple during recitations of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra. At center, Shaka sits atop a lotus pedestal, flanked by attendant bodhisattvas, Fugen and Monju. Their radiant bodies are meticulously described using a combination of gold paint and strips of cut gold foil, a technique called kirikane. They are surrounded by a diverse group of benevolent deities charged with protecting the Sutra itself and all those who recite it. The lengthy Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra was translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by the prolific translator Xuanzang (602–664), who appears at bottom right carrying a scroll and brush, and wearing a portable chest containing scriptures. The fierce red deity opposite him is the Great General of the Desert (Jinja Daishō), who is said to have protected Xuanzang during his travels.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Shaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and Sixteen Benevolent DeitiesShaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and Sixteen Benevolent DeitiesShaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and Sixteen Benevolent DeitiesShaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and Sixteen Benevolent DeitiesShaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and Sixteen Benevolent Deities

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.