Shakyamuni Buddha Statue | 10.5″ Gold Gilded | Handmade Nepal

This 10.5″ Shakyamuni Buddha statue depicts an uncommon and striking iconographic form — the historical Buddha wearing the crown and jewels of a Bodhisattva, recalling the many previous lifetimes he spent on the Bodhisattva path before his final birth as Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The finish is a combination of oxidized copper on the robes and body with 24K gold fire gilding on the crown, throne, and ornamental detailing — the contrast giving the crowned figure a jewel-like quality that sets it apart from standard Shakyamuni presentations. At the buyer’s request, the crown and jewels can be additionally embellished with turquoise or red coral stones at no extra charge — simply notify us before the order ships and the artisan will complete the embellishment before delivery.

The statue was handcrafted in Patan, Nepal by a master artisan of the Shakya caste — the Newar community whose name derives directly from the Shakya clan into which Shakyamuni Buddha was born. Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini, Nepal in the 5th century BCE into the Shakya royal family, and the Shakya artisans of the Kathmandu Valley are traditionally regarded as descendants of that same lineage — making the tradition of Shakya craftspeople creating Shakyamuni statues a connection that runs far deeper than craft alone. Have questions about Shakyamuni Buddha statues? Read our Shakyamuni Buddha FAQ, covering iconography, mudras, and the historical Buddha’s life story.

Partly Gilded Shakyamuni Statue Features

Shakyamuni is depicted in full lotus posture displaying the Bhumisparsha mudra — the earth-touching gesture — with his right hand draped over the right knee, palm facing inward and fingers extended downward toward the ground. This is the gesture he displayed at the moment of his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, calling the earth deity to witness his realization as Mara sought to challenge it. His left hand rests in the lap in the Dhyana mudra with an alms bowl resting in the open palm — symbolizing his monastic renunciation and holding the three nectars understood to counteract the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion.

The Bodhisattva Path of Shakyamuni Buddha

The Bodhisattva crown worn by this statue acknowledges the vast number of previous lives the historical Buddha spent on the Bodhisattva path before his final enlightenment. In one of the most celebrated of these previous lives, recorded in the Pali tradition, he was born as the hermit Sumedha — who, upon encountering the previous Buddha Dipankara, vowed to achieve full Buddhahood himself rather than accepting the personal liberation that was within his reach. That vow set in motion the long arc of Bodhisattva lives that ultimately culminated in his birth as Prince Siddhartha in Lumbini, his renunciation at age 29, and his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree — the moment depicted by the Bhumisparsha mudra on this statue.