This Buddha figure sits in a relaxed half lotus position, resting his right foot on top of his left knee. His calm expression and closed eyes convey the inner peace that he has been able to achieve through focused meditation. His head is covered with the typical tight curls seen on depictions of the Buddha, which culminate in a conical ushnisha. 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. The earlobes of the Buddha are extended down towards his shoulders. 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.

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 over his legs. ‘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.