Earlier this fall I took some time to draw at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. As my notes in the top image say, a bodhisattva is a Buddhist deity who has attained enlightenment but delays entering paradise in order to aid other earthly beings. As I drew, I noticed how adorned with finery (jewels, fine robes) these figures were...in contrast to the simple robe of standing Buddha on the far right of the spread (see the second image below). The exhibit notes mentioned that standing Buddhas icons were created to make the Buddha more human and to emphasize that he was concerned about the everyday person.
I added the scene of the Minneapolis high-rises in the background, which I saw out the large window near these statues -- perhaps a reminder that Buddhist ideas live on beyond these statues created centuries ago. For example, here's a a thought mentioned in a recent dharma talk by Andrea Martin at the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center on Sunday, 12/17/17: "When we realize that everything is already part of our life, there is nothing left to want."
