This exquisitely crafted Manjushri Buddha statue has been made from brass and has been given gold plating and paint. A lavishly bejewelled crown with adorns the deity head, and a sacred scarf 'khata', wraps his shoulders. The deity is seated on a beautiful lotus 'pitha'. In Buddhism, Manjushri is the Bodhisattva (Buddha-to-be) of Wisdom - the embodiment of the omniscient wisdom of all enlightened beings. His left hand is in the gesture of teaching Dharma and shown holding the stem of a lotus flower that supports the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra. With the flaming sword or 'khadaga' in his right hand, Manjushri is conceived as vanquishing ignorance and eliminating darkness with the power of knowledge and wisdom. He bestows wisdom, intelligence, and the power of eloquence, linquistics and memory. Revered as the patron of arts and sciences, he is traditionally invoked by writers.
