北魏太和十九年（？）　石雕燃燈佛像（定光佛）|Buddha Dipankara (Dingguang)

Unknown

dated 495 (19 (?) year of Taihe reign) · Sandstone with traces of pigment · Asian Art

The inscription on the back of this stele identifies the Buddha depicted on the front as Dipankara, who was thought to have lived before the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. He is shown here attended by a group of small figures wearing the clothing of the Xianbei, the non–Han Chinese peoples who ruled the Northern Wei dynasty. The smaller standing figure to the Buddha’s right may represent a youth named Sumedha, who was destined to become the historical Buddha in another lifetime. The imagery of this large sculpture is therefore intended to illustrate the promise or possibility of enlightenment in a future life. In Buddhism, the achievement of this advanced spiritual state is the goal of all practitioners. The bodhisattva with crossed ankles on the back of the stele recalls similar figures in the collection from the Yungang cave temple complex.

Artist

Unknown

Date

dated 495 (19 (?) year of Taihe reign)

Medium

Sandstone with traces of pigment

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

The Sackler Collections, Purchase, The Sackler Fund, 1965