This is one of the most original Shakyamuni portrayals in our collection, combining three finishes in a single statue: a hand-painted gold face with lifelike expression, a body in deep antiquated oxidized copper, and silver plated ornamentation throughout — from the leaf-shaped ornament at the shoulder and the scrollwork trim edging the sash, to the medallion at the chest, the silver alms bowl, and the patterned cuffs at the wrists and ankles. The artisan also worked the eight Tibetan auspicious symbols into the statue’s ornamentation: see if you can find the white umbrella, the pair of golden fish, the treasure vase, the victory banner, the endless knot, the golden wheel, the right-turning conch shell, and the lotus flower.
Customary characteristics of this silver plated Shakyamuni statue include the elongated earlobes, the ushnisha topknot with its tightly curled hair and silver finial, the urna or third eye of wisdom, the three neck lines, and the right-turning hair coils — each counted among the traditional 32 marks of a fully enlightened being, attributes shared by Buddhas and high-level Bodhisattvas alike.
Silver Plated Shakyamuni Statue Mudras
After his renunciation, Siddhartha lived in the forest as a renunciant for six years, fulfilling the path to enlightenment. His depiction here in the Bhumisparsha mudra commemorates the moment he became a self-arisen Buddha — the right hand reaching over the knee to touch the earth as witness. His left hand rests in the Dhyana, or meditation, mudra, with the silver alms bowl of a monk resting in the palm. Explore the symbolism of the Bhumisparsha mudra and other Shakyamuni Buddha hand gestures in our complete guide to Shakyamuni statues.
Shakyamuni Buddha is seated in full lotus pose atop a stacked double lotus pedestal, its petals tipped in silver and its base finished with a key-fret band between beaded rims. On the back of the pedestal, two deer commemorate his first sermon at the deer park in Sarnath — the monumental moment when he set the Wheel of Dharma in motion. A piece combining this many techniques rewards a careful eye — see our guide, Is Your Nepali Buddha Statue Authentic?, for what distinguishes genuine Patan craftsmanship, or browse our full collection of Shakyamuni Buddha statues to compare sizes and finishes.
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.
