Orange in colour, Manjushri has one face and two hands held to the heart in the dharma-teaching gesture, delicately holding the stems of two lotus flowers that blossom at each ear — the right supporting the flaming sword of wisdom, the left the Prajnaparamita Sutra. Peaceful and smiling, adorned with crown and jewel ornaments and coloured silks, he sits in vajra posture on a moon disc above a lion-supported throne.
Flanking bodhisattvas, lamas, buddhas and protective deities fill the surrounding registers. Along with Avalokiteshvara and Tara, Manjushri is among the most beloved bodhisattvas of Tantric Buddhism, practiced across all schools. The geometric layout, strong colours and dense ornamentation reflect a Nepali stylistic influence with a general Sakya character.
