This 13.75″ Shakyamuni Buddha statue is fire gilded in 24K pure gold with an antiquated finish — the gold surface treated to produce a warm, deep luster with a slightly aged character, giving the figure a gravitas that bright fresh gilding does not always convey. The statue was handcrafted in Patan, Nepal by master artisans of the Shakya caste using the traditional lost wax sculpting method. The Pali Canon’s description of the historical Buddha includes skin of a characteristic golden hue — one of the 32 physical markings of a great being — and the deep gold surface of this statue reflects that quality in a way that seems entirely natural rather than ornamental.
The Shakya caste artisans of Patan are the traditional masters of lost wax sculpture in the Kathmandu Valley, having supplied sacred sculpture and ritual items to Tibetan monasteries for centuries. Their expertise in the full gilding process — in which 24K gold is permanently bonded to the copper surface using the fire gilding method — produces a finish that will never tarnish and holds its depth indefinitely, unlike surface-applied gold coatings that will wear over time.
Gold Shakyamuni Buddha Statue Features
Shakyamuni is depicted in full lotus posture — known in Sanskrit as vajrasana, the vajra seat — seated on a single lotus throne. The full lotus is the posture the historical Buddha held at the moment of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, and it remains the standard posture for Shakyamuni statues throughout the Himalayan Buddhist tradition. His right hand displays the Bhumisparsha mudra — the earth-touching gesture — with the hand draped over the right knee, palm facing inward and fingers extended downward toward the ground. This is the mudra Shakyamuni displayed as he called the earth deity to witness his realization against the challenge of Mara. Learn more about the meaning of the Bhumisparsha mudra in our Buddha statue meaning guide.
His left hand rests in the lap in the Dhyana mudra — the meditation gesture, palm open and facing upward — with an alms bowl resting in the palm. The alms bowl represents the Buddha’s renunciation of his royal life and his entry into the monastic path, and is understood to hold the three nectars that counteract the three poisons of greed, hatred, and ignorance. Together the two mudras of this statue — earth-touching right hand and meditation left hand with alms bowl — constitute the most iconic and immediately recognizable posture in all of Shakyamuni Buddha iconography.
Authentic, Handmade in Nepal
Every statue and ritual item is handcrafted in Patan, Nepal, using traditional lost wax casting and comes with a certificate of authenticity issued by Nepal's Department of Archaeology, verifying its materials, technique, and origin.
