This beautiful traditionally done Japanese Buddha statue is of Dainichi Nyorai, the central figure in mandalas of the Shingon school of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism. Shingon, a major Japanese branch of Buddhism, is one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, and perhaps the least known form of Japanese Buddhism in the West. Esoteric Buddhism holds that while nothing can be said verbally of the ultimate state of Buddhahood, it is readily communicated via esoteric rituals which involve the use of mantras, mudras, and mandalas. Because of this reliance on teacher-to-disciple non-verbal passage of knowledge, no books even in Japanese were written on Shingon until the 1940s.

Made of fine-grained Japanese Cypress (hinoki), this piece slowly turns more brown as the years go by, with a feeling of increased profoundness meant to occur. Perfect for a Japanese style altar, or as an object of decoration for those interested in Japanese Buddhism.

The hexagonal shape of the statue pedestal is said to represent the "six ways" of the six worlds of reincarnation in Buddhism.

Size: height 37.5 cm x width 18.5 cm x depth 13.9 cm

Shipped directly from Japan

* Please allow 10 days before shipping