The Bodhisattva Five-Topknot Monju (Manjushri) (Gokei Monju Bosatsu zō)
Depicted here is Monju, the bodhisattva of transcendent wisdom, riding a lion.This particular iconography is referred to as Gokei Monju, referring to his Five topknots. Seated cross-legged atop the lion on a lotus, Monju holds a sword in one hand and the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom Sutra (Sanskrit: Prajnaparamita) in the other. Monju’s pale skin is adorned with gold jewelry and green and pink clothing, even the topknots are tied with a golden string as two halos, blue and green with gold, further mark his divinity. The five top knots he sports represent the Five Wisdom Buddhas: Ashuku (Sanskrit: Akshobhya), Amida (Amitabha), Fukujōju (Amoghasiddhi), Hōshō (Sanskrit: Ratnasambhava), and Dainichi (Sanskrit: Mahavairocana). The lion he rides has malachite fur, golden adornments and four lotus pads that it walks across. In most surviving examples of Gokei Monju, the bodhisattva and the lion face to the left whereas in this case both facing to the right. This is probably the result of the painting’s use as the right scroll of a triptych in which the Historical Buddha Shaka would usually feature as the central figure.
Artwork Details
- 五髪文殊菩薩像
- Title: The Bodhisattva Five-Topknot Monju (Manjushri) (Gokei Monju Bosatsu zō)
- Artist: Unidentified artist
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: probably 18th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink, color, gofun, gold pigment, and kirikane (cut gold leaf) on silk
- Dimensions: Image: 45 5/8 × 16 5/8 in. (115.9 × 42.2 cm)
Overall with mounting: 76 3/4 × 22 7/8 in. (194.9 × 58.1 cm)
Overall with knobs: 76 3/4 × 24 3/4 in. (194.9 × 62.9 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of Sue Cassidy Clark, in honor of Barbara Brennan Ford, 2021
- Object Number: 2021.396.2
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Unidentified artist
19th century
Unidentified artist
Liu Songnian
Unidentified artist
Unidentified artist
Unidentified artist
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.