Avalokiteshvara Padmapani

Pakistan (Swat Valley)

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 237

Bodhisattva as the lotus-bearer Padmapani was a favored form of Avalokiteshvara, the embodiment of Buddhist compassion. His identifiers are the lotus (padma) held in his left hand, and the small figure of the Buddha Amitabha atop his head. In this early representation, he sits in royal ease, with one leg pendant and a hand poised as if gesturing contemplation. The antelope skin over his shoulder is a reminder of his ascetic nature, akin to Shiva.

#7927. Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, Part 1

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Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, Bronze inlaid with silver and copper, Pakistan (Swat Valley)

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Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, Bronze inlaid with silver and copper, Pakistan (Swat Valley)
Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, Bronze inlaid with silver and copper, Pakistan (Swat Valley)

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