The Buddha is at the juncture of Enlightenment. He has spent years, if not decades, at the foot of the Bodhi tree. He has attained to a multitude of samadhis (deep contemplative states) and is now bordering on Buddhahood. Note the gathered brow, the half-shut eyes, and the relaxed mouth. The lobes of His ears graze the shoulders, from which emerge a pair of wings indicative of the high levels of samadhi through which His mind is traversing. With the mendicant’s bowl lying unused in one hand, He reaches down (sparsha) to the earth (bhoomi) with the other for it to witness the transition.
From the beauteous musculature of the Shakyamuni to the lifelike drape of the unstitched robe, this Buddha statue is a fine example of skill, attention to detail, and artistic devotion.