A bodhisattva is a compassionate Buddhist deity who could at any moment become a buddha (one who has achieved complete enlightenment). This bodhisattva sits in the cross-legged “lotus position,” indicating his profound level of meditation. The dot on his forehead symbolizes the “third eye” which allows him to see beyond the petty illusions of the everyday world.
Shaped of many layers of lacquer, this elegant figure was originally covered with thin sheets of gold leaf so that the image sparkled with an otherworldly brilliance.
