Medicine Buddha (C. 藥師如來 S. Bhaisajyaguru, T. sMan bla)

A high ranking member of the Chinese imperial court or emperor himself most likely commissioned this gilt bronze as a gift for a Tibetan Buddhist Center or a Tibetan monk. Although this sculpture originated in China and was made by a Chinese artist, it depicts a Tibetan Buddhist deity known as Bhaisajyaguru (his Sanskrit name), or Master of Healing. The wish bowl in his left hand and the remains of a medicinal plant in his right hand both identify this Buddha as this figure, also known as the Medicine Buddha, who provided worshippers with relief from troubles of the world, including his ability to cure illness and alleviate drought, famine, and other calamities. Like other representations of Buddha, he sits in the lotus position and has elongated, pendulous ears and other stylized facial features. His hair comprises snail-shell whorls arranged in concentric rows and covers the ushnisha (cranial protuberance) or knob on Buddha’s head. A round form, possibly a jewel, sits at the very top of this figure’s head. Here, Buddha wears a sanghati, or traditional monastic robe, which is pulled around his back to partially cover his right shoulder. Despite the stylized aspects of this sculpture, the human form and detail have natural aspects—exemplified by the drapery folds in the Buddha’s garment and by his lidded eyes, which although downcast in a meditative expression, appear open. This sculpture’s exterior was likely a shiny gold, and traces of gilt still glimmer slightly on parts of the surface.