In Himalayan Buddhism, art objects become active representations of a deity when they are consecrated. Consecration involves depositing a series of sacred materials in an artwork, especially holy herbs and excerpts from Buddhist texts. The most common practice is to include a phrase thought to encapsulate the essence of the Buddha’s thought. It states “The Buddha has described the origin and ending of everything that has a cause.” It appears on many objects in the Museum, including these Indian Buddhas, and is often accompanied by the image of a stupa.