Manjushri Statue | Sword of Wisdom, Fire Gilded 24K Gold | 8″

Two finishes meet in a single sculpture on this 8″ Manjushri statue — a fire-gilded upper body of pure 24K gold above a warm oxidized copper lower body, framed by the crown and jewels of a Bodhisattva. At the request of the buyer, we will insert red coral and turquoise stones into the crown and jewels. The statue will wear them well, and they will further impress all who see it. The service is complimentary, done at no additional charge — please notify us before shipping if you wish to include the special stones.

Our Manjushri represents the Bodhisattva who embodies the wisdom of the Buddha. Therefore, Manjushri wields the sword of transcendent wisdom over his right shoulder. However, this is not a symbol of brute strength — instead, the sword represents the omnipotence of wisdom to defeat ignorance and delusion, a gentle annihilation carried out with tact and knowledge. To learn more about the symbolism of the flaming sword and the Prajnaparamita scripture, see our guide to Manjushri statue meaning and symbolism.

The origins of Manjushri are found in the Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Buddhist book about the perfection of wisdom that is realized by the ultimate goal of enlightenment — hence Manjushri is held in very high regard. Indeed, it took over seven centuries to write the Prajnaparamita Sutra: the Buddhist scholars began in the 1st century and did not finish until the 7th.

Special Features of our Manjushri Statue

This Manjushri statue is partly gilded in 24K gold and features a warm two-tone finish. Additionally, the statue features a lotus flower growing over his left shoulder — the lotus is very significant in Buddhist beliefs because it symbolizes the rewards of Nirvana that await dedicated devotees.

Manjushri sits in the full lotus pose on a single lotus pedestal, a foundation of indestructible virtue. The statue displays traditional features such as the crown and jewels of a Bodhisattva, the third eye of wisdom, the ushnisha topknot, and the necklines that mark high spiritual status. His left hand is raised at the chest with thumb and index finger meeting — a delicate Buddhist hand gesture and a symbol of teaching, instruction, and intellectual debate for those who seek knowledge through transcendental wisdom. The countenance of this Manjushri statue portrays unshakable confidence — as one verified buyer wrote in the review below, “the face is so beautiful.”

The Hand Painted Gold Face

One detail worth understanding about our gold gilded statues: the face is not fire gilded. Fire gilding cannot render the subtle life of a face — the arched brows, the delicate eye-line, the soft blush of the lips. Instead, on every gilded face, our artisan hand paints a specialized mix of 18K gold and natural pigments, layering the color and detail that give the sculpture its lifelike expression. It is why one buyer immediately noticed the face on this piece, and why “24K gold gilded” is technically a simplification — the face is the beautiful exception. Read the full explanation in our buyer’s guide to the gold face painting technique.

Shakya Artisans and the Lost Wax Method

This statue was cast by master craftsmen of the Shakya caste of Newar artisans in Patan, Nepal — the same lineage that has supplied Tibetan monasteries with their most important sculpture for over a thousand years. Every piece begins as a hand-sculpted beeswax model, encased in clay, then fired so the wax melts away and molten copper alloy is poured into the resulting mould. The clay is broken, the metal figure is cold-worked by hand — chased, engraved, and refined — before the upper body is fire gilded with pure 24K gold and the lower body treated to preserve its rich oxidized copper for contrast. Because each wax model is destroyed in the casting, no two statues from the workshop are ever identical.

Custom Orders

If you would prefer this Manjushri in a different size, or in a fully gilded, oxidized copper, or silver plated finish rather than the two-tone shown here, we can commission it directly with the artisan on your behalf. Explore our custom Tibetan Buddhist statues page for the full commissioning process and to see recent custom pieces we have delivered.