# Historical Buddha Shakyamuni with the bodhisattvas Fugen (Samantabhadra) and Monju (Manjushri)

- Date: 15th century
- Medium: Color and gold on silk
- Classification: Paintings
- Dimensions: H x W (image): 114.8 × 59.2 cm (45 3/16 × 23 5/16 in)
- Culture: Buddhists
- Credit line: Gift of Charles Lang Freer
- Museum: [Smithsonian Institution](https://asia.si.edu/object/F1907.652/)
- Rights: [CC0 (Smithsonian Open Access)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://invisiblenetwork.ai/thumbs/web/da4926737c305c3445558301a0fb8cd7.jpg
- Who can see it: Teens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Buddhist deities are often painted and displayed at altars in groups of three or more-typically a Buddha at the center and his attendant bodhisattvas (enlightened beings) to the left and right. Here the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni sits on a lotus-shaped throne with his attendants: Fugen to his right, holding a lotus and seated on an elephant, and Monju, seated on a lion, to his left. Surrounding the Buddha and the heads of the bodhisattvas are circular halos representing light and wisdom emanating from the sacred figures. Ornate patterns embellished with gold are typical of traditional Buddhist paintings, which honor deities through resplendent decoration.