Walking Shakyamuni Buddha

This sculpture highlights the Buddha as a teacher of the people, walking peacefully yet radiantly with lowered eyes. The historical Buddha—born Siddhartha Gautama, but more commonly known in Buddhism as Shakyamuni (Sage of the Shakya Clan)—renounced his princely life at age 29 after becoming aware of the suffering inherent in human life. Upon attaining enlightenment, he devoted his life to teaching people throughout northern India about a means of escaping suffering—through a combination of wisdom and compassion. Sculptures of so-called Walking Buddhas, with an elegantly draped monastic robe and sinuous limbs, are a trademark of the Sukhothai Kingdom of Thailand, which flourished in the 1300s and 1400s.