Antique Javanese Temple Buddha Lava Stone

Antique hand carved lava stone Buddha sits atop the lotus base, in Bhumisparsha Mudra. A rare antique piece from a Buddhist temple near central Java.

Bhumisparsha Mudra, the “Earth Witness Gesture,” stands as one of the most profound and recognizable hand gestures in Buddhist iconography. Buddhist tradition holds that while Siddhartha meditated under the Bodhi tree, the demon Mara attempted to distract him and block his path to enlightenment. Siddhartha reached out his right hand to touch the ground, calling on the Earth to witness his past virtuous deeds. The Earth Goddess answered, validating his worthiness and scattering Mara’s forces. Visually, the gesture features the right hand touching the earth while the left hand rests upward in the lap.

A Rare Central Javanese Artifact

This unique ancient Buddha statue originates from a temple in Central Java, recovered from a village just hours from Borobudur. Local villagers and their ancestors have built surrounding temples since antiquity, utilizing volcanic lava stone directly from nearby Mount Merapi—an active stratovolcano situated on the border of Central Java and Yogyakarta. For centuries, the nearby monument of Borobudur has shaped regional temple art.

The Legacy of Borobudur

Borobudur (also spelled Barabudur) is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Central Java, Indonesia. As the largest Buddhist temple in the world, it rivals Myanmar’s Bagan and Cambodia’s Angkor Wat among Southeast Asia’s greatest archaeological treasures. The Indonesian government and UNESCO completed a major restoration project in 1983, securing its place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Antique one of a kind. Originally from Java, Indonesia.

Dimensions: 33″ x 38″ x 64″

*Antique piece. Sell in used, pre-owned condition. Vintage and antique items by nature have variable amounts of wear, imperfections, signs of use, age and time. Perfectly imperfect. Condition shown as in pictures. Kindly contact us if you need more info. or detail pictures.

*Due to the size and/ or the delicate situation of the item. Please contact us for more pictures or details about picking up /shipping options.