Thai Bronze Buddha's Hand

This 19th-century Buddha's hand sculpture from Thailand is finely cast of bronze with lifelike features and a beautifully dark patina. The slender left hand is held gracefully in dhyana mudra, the gesture of meditation, concentration, and spiritual perfection. The hand is placed in the lap with palm upwards, sometimes holding a ritual object such as a text or alms bowl. This mudra is derived from the Buddha's posture as he meditated beneath the Bodhi tree before gaining enlightenment.