Provenance:
Collection of Richard and Ruth Dickes, acquired in 1981
Sakyamuni Buddha sits in meditation upon a lotus throne, framed by an architectural throne back and a halo encircled by stylized flames. His hands rest in dhyana mudra, the gesture of meditation, while his legs are folded in dhyanasana. Broad shoulders taper to a narrow waist, and the robe clings so closely to the body that it is visible only at its edges. The restrained modeling of the figure contrasts with the richly-carved architectural setting, giving the Buddha a sense of calm and stillness.
The sculptor paid particular attention to the Buddha's face. Arched brows meet above the urna, while half-closed eyes and a slight smile create an expression of inward awareness. Rows of tightly arranged curls cover the head and rise into the domed ushnisha. Together these features emphasize the Buddha's meditative state.
The sculpture was created in Bihar during the Pala Dynasty, when northeastern India was one of the great centers of Buddhist learning and artistic production. Monasteries such as Nalanda and Vikramashila attracted monks, scholars, and pilgrims from across Asia, while regional workshops developed a distinctive sculptural style characterized by refined carving and balanced proportions. Images such as this were created for temples, monasteries, and shrines as objects of devotion and meditation.
An inscription appears above the Buddha between two stupas. It records a well-known Buddhist verse: "All phenomena arise from causes; those causes have been explained by the Tathagata, and their cessation too has been taught by the Great Shramana." The verse succinctly expresses the Buddhist understanding that all things arise through causes and conditions, a teaching closely associated with the Buddha's awakening.
Compare Susan L. Huntington and John C. Huntington, Leaves from the Bodhi Tree, The Art of Pala India (8th-12thcenturies) and Its International Legacy, Dayton Art Institute exhibition catalogue, 1990, no. 19, pp. 144 and 415, a stele of Sakyamuni from the Alsdorf Collection.
