Cleveland Museum of Art

Akshobhya: the Buddha of the East

Date

late 800s

Medium

bronze with silver and copper inlay

Culture

Northeast India, Bihar, Kurkihar, Pala period

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Made during the Pala period (750-1134) when tantric imagery was first emerging in northeastern India, this sculpture is from a cache that yielded some of the most masterful works of the north Indian bronze tradition. From this region, Tantra spread to Southeast Asia. The double-headed thunderbolt, or vajra, placed on top of the pedestal in front of the figure indicates that this is a tantric image. His hand gestures identify him as one of the Five Cosmic Buddhas, each of whom is associated with a cardinal direction of space: north, south, east, west, and center. The Buddha Akshobhya is especially invoked to eradicate the harmful emotion of anger.

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