A lohan, China, ca. 13th-14th century, painted and lacquered wood, glass; h 109cm × w 59.5cm × d 44.5cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Detail. Photo © Alain R. Truong

Lohans are followers of the Buddha who have achieved spiritual perfection. Their task is to safeguard Buddhist doctrine until the Buddha of the Future appears. They do not live among people but as hermits in the mountains. They also possess supernatural powers, such as the ability to change size and to see and hear everything. There are eighteen different lohans. This is Ajita. He concentrates fully on listening to the reading of a sutra, a scripture that conveys the Buddha’s teachings.