The Gandharan-Swat Valley-Kashmiri region
was a melting pot of various people and arts
and served as link between India and Central
Asia and further eastwards for a constant flow
of Buddhist pilgrims. The area flourished
under the Kushan and their greatest king,
Kanishka, who traditionally given credit for
further spreading the philosophies of
Buddhism throughout central Asia and into
China. This period is viewed as the most
important era in the early history of Buddhism.
Some of the earliest representations of the
Buddha in his human form date to the Kushan
era, as do the first depictions of Bodhisattvas.
In the Buddhist religion, Bodhisattvas are
souls who have attained enlightenment and no
longer need to reincarnate, but forsake
nirvana and choose to come back in order to
alleviate the suffering of others. They act as
mediators on behalf of mankind to historical
or Primordial Buddhas. Bodhisattvas are
traditionally depicted dressed in royal attire,
festooned with jewellery and a crowns
featuring an image of one of the Primordial
Buddha, revealing their cosmic lineage. One
of the most popular Bodhisattvas,
Avalokitesvara is worshiped throughout the
Buddhist world. He is first mentioned in the
Lotus Sutra, which explains his flower
attribute. Although he is known by many
names -- Chenrezi in Tibet, Lokesvara in
Nepal, Kannon in Japan, Guanyin in China --
he is universally loved for his benevolence
towards all human beings. As the guiding
deity of the Gelukpa monastic order, the Dalai
Lama is considered to be an emanation of this
Bodhisattva.
Seated on a throne of double-lotus base in
vajra posture, he lays his both hands on his
lap, his right forming the varada mudra hand
and his left holding a water flask. The face
with elongated eyes and asserting eyebrows
is topped by a tall foliate crown, showing
affinity to Kashmiri style, while his eyes, his
urna, and his necklaces are inlaid with silver, a
typical practice of Swat Valley production.
Thus, this fine bronze Buddha figure is an
ensemble of various stylistic elements from
adjacent areas.
