1-234-580 - The Museum of East Asian Art/Heritage Images

Gilt brass Padmasambhava holding attributes, Tibet, 16th-17th century. A gilt brass figure of Padmasambhava, sometimes known as the Guru Rinpoche, the founder of the Red Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. He is shown sitting with his legs folded with soles facing up. His left hand is at rest holding a skull cup, the other hand is raised and holding a vajra. He wears a formal hat pleated at the back, his hair is in a top knot and crescent moon. The robes have squares with elaborately decorated borders ballooning at the hips. Three long strands of hair emerge from the hat, one hanging down the back and the other strands on each shoulder. The Guru Rinpoche was an 8th century Indian Buddhist teacher who brought Buddhism to Bhutan and founded the Red Hat sect in Tibet. He was one of the most popular subjects for Tibetan religious art.