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| Crowned Buddha Shakyamuni |
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| Kashmir or northern Pakistan; 8th century |
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| Brass with inlays of copper, silver, and zinc |
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| H. 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm) |
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| Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of Asian Art |
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| 1979.044 |
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| In this elaborate image, the Buddha, his hands in the gesture of teaching, is seated on a lotus that rises from water inhabited by serpent deities (nagas). The distinctive costume worn by the Buddha suggests that the sculpture depicts the consecration of Shakyamuni as king of the Tushita Pure Land, the abode of all Buddhas before their final rebirth on earth. The five-pointed crown, the three-pointed cape tied at the back with strings, and the unusual floral decorations on the shoulders of the Buddha have been identified as primary elements identifying this scene. On the right and left of the base are figures which probably represent the donors of the image, Sankarasena, a government official, and Princess Devashriya, and their attendants.
Inscription
The inscription has been translated as: This is the pious gift of the devout Sankarasena, the great lord of the elephant brigade, and of the pure-minded and pious Devashriya, made in the second day of Vaishakha in the year 3. |
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