Seated in meditation on a double lotus base, his right hand in the earth-witnessing gesture.

The Buddha and the base are made separately. The Buddha is cast in four separate sections and is sealed underneath with a copper plate engraved with a Mandala.

There are some stylistic similarities with a late 11th century wall painting of a seated Buddha from Grathang Monastery in Central Tibet.[1]

The style of the double lotus, the lightweight casting of the image and the type of gilding are all indicative of an early date.

[1] Amy Heller, Tibetan Art, Milan 1999, fig. 76 (detail)