10th-12th century

Ratnasambhava Buddha

Ratnasambhava is one of a group of five meditating buddhas often called Dhyani (self-born, eternal) Buddhas. In Vajrayana Buddhism, each Dhyani Buddha emanates and encompasses a segment of the cosmos, physical and mental, and is considered to head a "family" of deities and their associated teachings; Ratnasambhava heads the fourth family and the southerly direction. He can be identified by his right hand lowered in the palm-outward gesture of generosity. The thick, U-shaped folds of his robe, the modeling of his delicately inlaid face, and the form of his flaming halo all indicate that this figure originated in the region around Ladakh (now in India) at a relatively early date.