Sahri Bahlol: Maitreya Bodhisattva

PAKISTAN, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar

This statue of Maitreya is heavily decorated with jewelry and stoles. A plain, circular nimbus frames the head, where abundant hair falls in waves down the Bodhisattva’s back and is restrained by a beaded band. The broken fragment in the left hand is most probably the vase commonly held by Maitreya statues from this period. The figure is portrayed in superb physical condition and precisely proportioned. The attention to detail in both the musculature and clothing is notable.
Maitreya reappears on the pedestal, depicted as seated on a throne with ankles crossed. The foliage above him indicates that this is the scene of his future enlightenment. Six figures are paying homage to the new Buddha.