17th century
Gilt and lacquered wood; metal.
Height: 53 cm
Carved in a seated position, wearing long draped robes and adorned with a necklace and elaborate pierced head-ornament of applied metal; mounted on a lotus flower shaped base on top of a roaring karashishi. The pierced mandorla with red lacquer finish and a kagami (mirror) inserted behind the figure.
Monju (Japanese name for Shariputra) was a disciple of the Historical Buddha, and represents wisdom, intelligence and willpower. In Mahayana traditions throughout Asia, Monju is the personification of the Buddha's teachings, and hence Monju symbolizes wisdom and the enlightened mind. Monju is considered the wisest of the Bodhisattva, and thus acts as the Voice (Expounder) of Buddhist Law.
Japanese sculptures of Monju often depict the deity sitting atop a roaring shishi, which symbolizes the voice of Buddhist Law and the power of Buddhism to overcome all obstacles. In the usual iconography Monju holds the Sutra of Wisdom in the left hand and a sharp sword in the right, which Monju uses to cut through illusion and shed light on the unenlightened mind, but often he just carries a lotus flower, as in this case.
The strength of the shishi and the decorative parts suggest to date this sculpture to the early part of the Edo period. A large similar Monju of the Muromachi period period with a very similar kohai (mandorla) is preserved at Kokyoin temple in Shizuoka.
