Help requested identifying culture and mudra of Buddhist statue

August 28, 2016 9:36 AM

I have a small wood Buddhist wood statue, and I am trying to determine what culture it is from, who the sculpture depicts, what mudra is being shown, and how it would have originally been displayed.

To help identify the culture, here is a picture from the front and side. The head appears to have long hair and be female. Coul this be Guanyin? Do you think it is a Bodhisattva? The mudra appears to be a middle finger extended, with the other fingers down--much like "giving the finger" in the west. I have never seem one like this, so any thoughts would be most appreciated. Here is one, two, and three photos of it. Lastly, if you could help me to understand how this was used. Am I correct that this would have been for a home altar? Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

posted by mortaddams to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

Per a friend who notes that although she studies Buddhism, she is of course not an expert in every form of Buddhism:

She thinks this is likely Tibetan, and that this is most likely a monk wearing a cowl, not a long-haired woman. The mudra is probably "tarjani" or "warning." If he were wearing a hat or crown, he might be a lama, but without it, just a monk.

Hope this helps!
posted by vetala at 6:37 PM on August 28, 2016

Does look like the tarjani mudra.

Hard to say, but generally speaking these statues are used as an object of worship in a household Buddhist altar.
posted by My Dad at 10:03 PM on August 28, 2016