Seated Buddha with Attending Bodhisattva (1934.34)
This Chinese Buddhist stele was likely positioned in the center of a temple enclosure allowing devotees to contemplate both the front and back. The figures present a stylized appearance emphasizing elongated forms and linear patterning, typical of the Northern Wei aesthetic. The front features the seated Sakyamuni Buddha, flanked by two bodhisattvas, at the moment of his enlightenment. He “calls the Earth to witness” by reaching down with his right hand. The back shows a standing Universal Buddha triad surrounded by a network of narrative scenes. They focus on the life and previous lives of Prince Siddhartha Gautama who became Sakyamuni Buddha.
Edited by Chloe Kolakowski, Class of 2025, College of the Holy Cross