Bodhisattva Manjushri
late 13th - 14th century
A bodhisattva is a Buddhist being that helps all living things on their path toward enlightenment, which is understood as awakening and escape from the cycle of suffering, death, and rebirth. Manjushri is the bodhisattva who embodies the wisdom of the Buddhas. Here, he holds his right hand downward with his palm facing outward. This is varada mudra, a gesture by which he offers the blessings of wisdom to all living beings.
Copper alloy with silver and turquoise
10 1/2 x 7 7/8 x 5 3/4 in. (26.67 x 20 x 14.61 cm)
Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection
70.62
Photo: Elizabeth Mann