Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, one of a set of three

Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha (Japanese: Shaka Nyorai), is represented here as a fully enlightened being in paradise, removed from worldly concerns. Dressed in simple but richly colored robes, he sits in meditation on a bejeweled lotus pedestal beneath a floral canopy. With his right hand he makes the gesture of dispelling fear, and with his left the gesture of gift granting.

This painting of the Buddha is the central one in a set of three.

The Buddha Shakyamuni—said to have been born a prince in ancient India—is the Buddha associated with the era in which we live. In Japanese Buddhism, various Buddhas represent other realms of time and space.