Divinationsgerät

Typical of 18th century Buddhist art in Vietnam is its harmonious beauty, especially in the distinctly meditative facial features. The Buddha's left hand lies in his lap in a meditation gesture, while his raised right hand shows the shunya gesture. It symbolizes the mental state in which the distinction between the knower and the known is abolished and clear awareness beyond all empirical phenomena and mental constructs has been achieved. The swastika on the chest comes from the traditional wealth of symbols of Asian religions.