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Bodhisattva
 Bodhissatva
Nepal; Early Malla period, 13th century
Gilt copper alloy with inlays of semiprecious stones
1979.49
This Bodhisattva,
seated in a relaxed posture, makes the gesture of reassurance with his
right hand and the gesture of teaching with his left. Originally, all
the depressions in his jewelry and crown would have been filled with multicolored
stones. It is unclear exactly which bodhisattva this sculpture represents
as it holds no attributes nor does it have an identifying image in its
headdress. However, the antelope skin draped over the bodhisattva's left
arm suggests that this sculpture represents Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva
of Compassion. Another clue to an identification as Avalokiteshvara is
the flowered decoration coming off his left armband, which is a hollow
tube. The presence of this tube suggests that the bodhisattva once held
a lotus, one of Avalokiteshvara's typical attributes. The lotus would
have been held in his left hand, with the stem running up the arm and
through the tube, a common position for the lotus in Buddhist sculpture.
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