Mahayana Buddhist sculpture in Sri Lanka is discussed. Because few of the many Bodhisattva sculptures of Sri Lankan origin do not correspond to the few surviving literary references concerning Sinhalese Mahayan iconography and differ from north Indian iconographic compendiums, it can be assumed that Sri Lankan Mahayana's foundation was based on South Indian traditions that were subsequently locally modified. Sectarian disputes with the orthodox Theravadin Buddhists, who only acknowledged the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the future Buddha, must have caused the existence of two distinct representations of the Maitreya：the ascetic type distinguished by an animal hide tied around the waist，and the jewelled or princely type. Mahayana Buddhism virtually ceased to exist after the end of the Polonnaruva period (993-1235 C.E.)，and though there was no objection by Theravadins to images of Maitreya, other Bodhisattvas were transformed into Sinhalese forms acceptable to Theravadins.
