I visited the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and I came across stunning arts including drawings and sculptures. The most striking art at the museum that caught my attention was the Buddha looking figure. It was not clear who the artist of the sculpture was since there were difference versions of the sculpture that were made during the fifteenth century among In China and in India, belonging to Buddhism. The sculpture has a shape of a Buddha man with many heads and eight hands projecting from it’s the man’s chest. I heard that it was called Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. From a distance, it would be impossible to capture the minute details that was visible on the sculpture since it was small, which was about 40 centimeters in height and 9 centimeters width. At a closer view, the sculpture had five heads ascending on top of one another. It would have been unnoticeable to one did not view it from different angle. I noticed that the sculpture had other heads that were facing sideways; three facing the right side and the other three facing the left side. In total, the sculpture had eleven heads. On top of each head, there was a crown that was made of gold and copper, same was the waits. The surface of the sculpture was lavishly inlaid with silver gold and copper. The hands projecting from the chest seemed to be forming a circular shape, with objects hanging from their palms and wrists. The eleven faces appeared like being who was praying since the eyes looked like they were closed, but also angry.

The image of a Buddha man depicted the scopes of total enlightenment; a figure which its purpose was to help the faithful in search of enlightenment. The compassionate beings represented by the eleven heads were compassionate being that had the capability to enter nirvana. Yet, they postponed their own entrance by the looking in different directions so that they could assist others accomplish release from the cycle of death, birth and rebirth. Though the first three tiers of the lavishly crowned heads have faced that appear to grimace in anger, the sculpture represent Hayagriva, a protector deity. Hayagriva’s face suggests that he is ready to spring in action and protect his followers from harm. The ten heads together do not only suggest God’s omniscience, but they are also the ten virtues, representing the ten strengths according to Mahayanist philosophy. The eleventh head suggests the highest spiritual father of Avalokiteshvara.

In Buddhist religious text, the sculpture is considered to be looking in all directions so that it can identify people who are suffering and come to their aid. According to legend, Avalokiteshvara vowed that he would not rest until he freed all beings from their sufferings; as a result, his head split into thousands of pieces. Fortunately, Amitabha Buddha, who is the top most sitting spiritual father on the sculpture, reassembled the pieces enabling bodhisattva to have the supernatural power to see many places at the same time. Also, serenely balanced on two feet, the sculpture is symbolic of compassion for which God is known. The lower left hand has arms open; symbolizing the act of giving. The hands have several sacred objects: the wheel represents teaching and the rosary beads represent Buddhist count while meditating. The lower right hand holds a pot which symbolizes God’s ability to quench the thirst of His followers. In other words, this special material symbolizes religious figure that is important to the Buddhist beliefs.