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| Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara |
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| Nepal; Licchavi period (4th century C.E.-880), 8th - 9th century |
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| Gilt copper alloy |
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| H. 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm) |
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| Estate of Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller |
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| 1992.003 |
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| Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, can be identified by the small seated image of the Buddha Amitabha, his spiritual progenitor, in his crown. He stands in a relaxed posture, his right hand in the gesture of bestowing blessings. The long cord that runs from his left shoulder and across his right thigh represents a sacred thread and symbolizes Avalokiteshvara's high social and religious status. By about the 6th century C.E., he had become the most popular bodhisattva in Buddhism. |
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