This wooden sculpture depicts a Buddha figure seated in a full lotus position upon an hourglass shaped platform with many layers of patterning, covered with a mat with curving edges. He possesses several characteristic features of Buddha depictions, including his ushnisha and elongated earlobes. The ushnisha is a protuberance on the top of the head which is one of the Buddha’s key characteristics and which symbolises his enlightenment. In this example the ushnisha is topped with a shape reminiscent of a Burmese stupa, a religious structure that usually houses Buddhist relics. 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. This is a reminder that he has given up any desire for elaborate material possessions. His serene expression, with closed eyes and a gentle smile, conveys the sense of inner peace that he has been able to achieve. The surface of his head is covered with concentric circles of small conical points, representing the tight curls of his hair. Traces of gold paint remain across the whole surface of the sculpture, and other colours have been used to mark out facial details: red for the lips, and black and white for the eyes.

The Buddha’s hands are held in the Bhumisparsha mudra, with his right hand reaching downwards across his right knee towards the ground, and his left resting face-up on his left thigh. ‘Mudra’ literally means ‘seal’ or ‘gesture’ and is used to refer to a pose, usually of the hands, which has a symbolic meaning and connection to an event in the life of the Buddha. The Bhumisparsha or ‘earth witness’ mudra represents the connection which the Buddha made with the earth when he was close to achieving Nirvana. The demon Mara was trying to frighten him and interrupt his meditation, and as part of this challenged him to produce a witness to agree that he had the right to achieve enlightenment. As the Buddha touched the ground, the earth itself appeared as his witness, allowing him to defeat Mara and prove himself worthy of reaching Nirvana.