Amoghasiddhi Buddha

Amoghasiddhi is one the Five Cosmic Buddhas of the Mahayana tradition. It is believed that after the historic Buddha attained enlightenment and ascended to the heavens, he preached to the gods, some of whom became enlightened beings, or buddhas, themselves. These five preside over the four cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) and the center. A devotee’s goal is to be reborn into one of their realms. A compartment inside this lacquer figure holds objects of ritual importance. X-rays show what appear to be a roll of paper, possibly a religious text; a small bead or pearl; and a glass vial, perhaps containing consecrated water. The distinctive patterns with infilled gold leaf indicate the sculpture was a gift to a Tibetan monastery by China’s Yongle emperor (1403–24).