Arhat Holding a Vase with Coral

The central figure is a light-skinned monk with a shaved head, wearing intricate robes in shades of yellow, red, and green with fine gold-leaf patterns. He is seated in a meditative posture upon a large, blooming white lotus floating amidst dark, swirling blue water. In his right hand, he holds a golden vessel with a piece of red coral, and in his left, he grips a long, ornate metal staff topped with a stupa-like finial. To his right, a large pink lotus bud emerges from the water; in the upper left corner, a partial view of a white horse is visible against the stylized wave patterns.

This painting belongs to the iconographic tradition of the Sixteen or Eighteen Arhats (Sthavira), the legendary disciples of the Buddha tasked with protecting the Dharma. The inclusion of the red coral and the khakkhara are common attributes in Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist painting, signifying the figure's role as a guardian of sacred relics and a practitioner of long-life rituals.