
Copper alloy
The sculpture is in an unusual formation consisting of three tiers. The top tier depicts Vairocana Buddha seated on a many-petaled lotus throne. He wears a five-Buddha crown and his hands are in the uttarabodhi (supreme enlightenment) mudra. The Buddhas of the Four Directions are in the middle tier: Aksobhya of the east, Amitabha of the west, Ratnasambhava of the south, and Amoghasiddhi of the north. All figures are in full lotus position and either have their hands in mudras or are holding Dharma instruments. The lower part of the sculpture consists of a large lotus throne with small Buddha images on each petal.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F, page 324.