This sculpture depicts the Buddha reclining peacefully on his right side, supporting his head on his right hand. His legs are stretched outwards, with the left on top of the right, and his left arm rests upon his hip. He is lying on a flat red surface, with a cylindrical cushion under his right arm to support his side. His high eyebrows, downturned gaze, and peaceful expression are hallmarks of Buddha representations, acting as physical indicators of his inner serenity. Other features also serve as identifying marks of the Buddha, such as the rounded ushnisha (a protuberance on the top of the head which is one of the Buddha’s key characteristics and which symbolises his enlightenment) and extended earlobes. Within East Asian belief, particularly Buddhism, large ears are seen as a sign of wisdom and compassion. The Buddha is often depicted with elongated ears to symbolise his ability to hear the cries of those who are suffering, and his sympathy and willingness to help ease their pain. It is therefore a comforting image, as it reminds those who see it that there is hope for an end to their sufferings through the search for enlightenment and the compassion of those who have reached it. His facial features are picked out in dark paint, and his hair and clothes are red with gold details, and adorned with gemstones.

The reclining Buddha pose is also known as the mahaparinirvanasana, and represents the moment in the Buddha’s life when he was experiencing his final illness and realised that his death was approaching. At the moment of his death, he attained the state known as parinirvana, which means ‘nirvana-after-death’ and can be achieved by somebody who reaches nirvana during their lifetime, freeing them from the cycle of karmic rebirth. This pose represents a pivotal moment in the Buddha’s life, and is therefore often depicted in art. Reclining Buddha statues are not supposed to encourage grief or sadness, but instead they act as a reminder that it is possible to achieve enlightenment and be freed from the cycle of death and rebirth. The calm expression and relaxed pose of the Buddha show the serenity that comes with this event.

The high arched eyebrows and soft smiling expression, as well as the use of marble, are characteristics which suggest that this is a Shan sculpture. The Shan people are an ethnic group that have been living in Myanmar since the 11th century, and are believed to have migrated from Yunnan in China. Today, they are the largest minority group, primarily based in the Shan state in the east of Myanmar, but between the 13th and 16th centuries Shan chiefs ruled much of the country. Their religion is primarily Buddhist, and their culture is closely related to that of Thailand and Laos. Shan Buddha sculptures are characterised by slightly open eyes, with high eyebrows and large foreheads. The marble used for Buddha sculptures in Myanmar often comes from the hill range of Sagyin, a village north of Mandalay. This area is an offshoot of the mountainous Mogok area, known as the “Valley of Rubies” because of the high-quality gemstones that have been found there since ancient times. Rubies are therefore also found in the Sagyin hills among the marble.