No. 11: Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja, the Healing King: Intertwined Religious Cultures: Buddhism and Hinduism

The article presents a new interpretation of a bronze sculpture (8th/9th century) from Pakistan. The valleys of what is now Pakistan and Afghanistan were home to thriving Buddhist kingdoms, where ancient Indian, Western, and Central Asian civilizations met. The character depicted in the bronze statue has been interpreted as the Healing King, which reflects the mixed iconography of Hindu and Buddhist Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. Adorned with plants and gems, the bodhisattva’s main attribute, a bowl with healing fruit, denotes his medicinal powers.