The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara
Nepal, 15th century
Stone
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Purchased with Harry and Yvonne Lenart Funds, M. 82.40

Bodhisattvas are "heroes of enlightenment," who have attained the compassionate motivation to become enlightened for others. They are divine mediators on behalf of humans to historical or Primordial Buddhas. Bodhisattvas are usually portrayed wearing regal dress and jewelry with crowns bearing an image of one of the Primordial Buddhas to identify their cosmic lineage.

Avalokitesvara, one of the most popular Bodhisattvas, is worshiped throughout the Buddhist world. He is first mentioned in the Lotus Sutra, which explains his flower attribute. Although he goes by many names -- Chenrezi in Tibet, Lokesvara in Nepal, Kannon in Japan, Guanyin in China, he is universally loved for his benevolence towards all human beings. As the guiding deity of the Gelukpa monastic order, the Dalai Lama is considered to be an emanation of this Bodhisattva.