Buddha Seated in Meditation (Dhyanamudra), Chola period, c. 12th century, Art Institute of Chicago

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India Tamil Nadu, Nagapattinam Buddha Seated in Meditation (Dhyanamudra), Chola period, c. 12th century Granite 160.0 x 120.2 x 56.3 cm (63 x 47 5/16 x 22 3/16 in.) Restricted gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Andrew Brown, 1964.556 Asian Art Display Unit 401 This Buddha sitting in meditation comes from Nagapattinam, a coastal town in southern India. It was one of the few places where Buddhism still thrived in the twelfth century due to settlers from Srivijaya (Indonesia). The Buddha has elongated earlobes and wheel marks on his palms. He wears an urna between his brows and a cranial protuberance covered with snail-shell curls. His hands rest on his lap, wearing a seemingly transparent monastic garment. A flame emerges out of the Buddha's cranial protuberance, signifying wisdom. This massive sculpture carved from granite was originally placed at a monastic site in Nagapattinam, which is also famous for its Buddhist bronzes. The Tamil inscription on its back has become illegible over time. — Entry, Essential Guide, 2013, p. 117. http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/21023?search_no=29&index=57