Milarepa is held in the highest esteem by all Tibetans as the archetypal yogi. His heroic quest for knowledge is legendary. He is renowned for his ecstatic verse and in this image, his parted lips suggest the singing of songs for which he is famed throughout Tibet. His left hand is held up towards his ear, often interpreted as the gesture of listening to the songs of nature or the teachings of the masters. His half-closed eyes suggest a state of reverie. He wears large hoop earrings and a meditation strap over his right shoulder passing beneath his cloak. He is seated on an antelope skin draped over the base of the statue.
