Quiet Sitting, Meditation
Northern Wei Dynasty
Colorful sculpture,after a mural in the bottom level of the northern wall of Mogaoku Grotto no.259, Dunhuang.Buddhist meditation was an exercise in serenity,in which t he practitioner sat with legs crossed,eyes slightly closed,freeing the mind of desire through special techniques of breathing,focusing the mind,and visualizing the interior of the body.The object was to cultivate one’s qi and strengthen its circulation.