Item: Arhat/Sthavira (Buddhist Elder) - 16 Elders: Kanakavatsa
| Origin Location | Tibet |
|---|---|
| Date Range | 1600 - 1699 |
| Size | 101.60x59.06cm (40x23.25in) |
| Material | Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton |
| Collection | The Brooklyn Museum of Art |
| Catalogue # | acc. #BMA 1993.192.10, Gift of Rosemarie and Leighton Longhi |
Classification: Person
Appearance: Arhat
Gender: Male
Kanakavatsa, the Elder (Tibetan: ne ten, ser be'u. Sanskrit: Sthavira Kanakavatsa, English: the Golden Calf): the 7th arhat from the set of 16 great arhats. He holds a jeweled lasso in both hands - a gift of the nagas.
"In the excellent land of Kashmir is the noble elder Kanakavatsa, surrounded by 500 arhats; homage to the One holding a jewel lasso." (Sakya liturgical verse).
The Sixteen Great Arhats are generally painted as a set. The full group would include the Buddha Shakyamuni accompanied by the 2 foremost disciples, the 16 arhats, the attendant Dharmatala, the patron Hvashang and the Four Guardians of the Directions: Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dritarashtra and Virudhaka.
Jeff Watt 3-2002
Painting Set: Arhats: Single Main Figure
Arhat/Sthavira: Kanakavatsa Main Page
Collection of Brooklyn Museum of Art
Collection of Brooklyn Museum of Art (Arhats)
Painting Set: Arhat Set VIII (Brooklyn)