Lord Buddha is seated on a double lotus base or
viswapadmasana surrounded by 16 Arhats and 10 Bodhisattvas. On the very
top/center of the piece is a small banner, one of the eight auspicious symbols,
which symbolizes the victory of the dharma over the forces of ignorance.
Below the Buddha are two elephants, one of the seven precious jewels or gems,
which symbolize mental strength.
The name arhat or arahant means 'worthy', and it is widely
applied in Buddhism to those attaining nirvana. Arhats came to be
viewed as the disciples who spread the doctrine after the Buddha's death and in
Tibet they also assumed a major role as intermediaries who could assist the
believer along the path to enlightenment, much in the manner of a bodhisattva.
The concept originated in India, although representations are not found in
Indian art, or in the art of two of the major cultures under Indian influence,
Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, where the name Arhats or Arahant signifies a spiritual practitioner that
has realized the goal of nirvana, the culmination of the spiritual life. Such a
person, having removed all causes for future becoming, is not reborn after
biological death into any samsaric realm.