This freestanding Maitreya Buddha statue is carved from one piece of wood and shows us excellent woodcarving artistry in perfection.

He wears a robe, the gathered ends of which he holds in his left hand, while his right hand is stretched out in varada mudra.

He stands on a lotus pedestal

Dimensions: 30 cm x 85 cm 7.5 kg

Maitreya (from maitri: goodness, benevolence, love) is regarded as the future Buddha and coming world teacher according to Buddhist teachings. Maitreya is the successor to Gautama Buddha. Until then, he is a bodhisattva with the main task of spreading the knowledge of pure dharma

About the wood:

Local wood name: Sal / Agrath ( Shorea Robusta )

Sal is a tree of the lower altitudes, which occurs in Nepal from the Terai up to an altitude of about 1200 meters. Its range extends across the sub-Himalayas to Assam and is generally restricted to the outer valleys. In some places in the Terai, there are large areas of pure Sal forest. Sal is a large deciduous tree that rarely becomes completely leafless. It normally grows up to 25 meters high, but can reach 30 or 40 meters in the Terai. The bark of young trees is smooth, gray-brown and mottled. Older bark is dark brown, rough and deeply fissured. Sal is one of the most important types of wood in Nepal. It is used for the construction of buildings and for all work where strength and durability are the most important criteria. The wood is also used in temples for carvings and for decorative beams and doors. It is the most commonly used wood for all woodwork in Nepal. Because of its beautiful color, it is also used for making furniture and other small items out of wood.