What Does The Statue Of Buddha Represent – Artistic interpretations of the Buddha have existed since the 2nd century AD, with the artists concerned always nurturing a spiritual state of self to truly reproduce the spirit of the Buddha in their creations. While the iconography of Siddhartha Gautama is not intended to reflect his actual characteristics (a naturally challenging task for sculptors centuries after his death), the appearances of Buddha statues are full of meaning. Buddha poses and mudras (hand positions) are spiritually charged, each pose and style carefully curated to communicate a specific state of the teacher. Here we look at the meanings behind these positions so you can carefully consider which type of statue specifically resonates with you.
The meditating Buddha is always found in a double or single lotus position, a position that has come to represent a meditative state throughout the world. This type of statue is ideal for those looking to infuse peace and calm into their lives, especially in our fast-paced world of flashing lights and endless communication. This is reflected both in the statue’s triangular silhouette, reflecting balance and stability, and in the usually half-closed or fully closed eyes of the Buddha.
What Does The Statue Of Buddha Represent
While the meditative pose is instantly recognizable, Dhyana mudra makes this pose distinctly Buddhist. In this mudra, both hands are placed in the lap face up, with the right hand resting on the left palm. The tops of the thumbs touch to form another triangle shape. This geometry is not an unintentional nod to the world of mathematics, but rather a recognized symbol in Buddhism, the triangle representing the unity of the triple jewel: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, as well as holding a mystical fire within (far more interesting than Pythagoras.)
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The cross-legged Teacher Buddha is perfect for anyone who wants to focus on their spirituality. The position of the Buddha Teacher is said to exemplify the Buddha’s first sermon after his enlightenment. This sermon was preached to a group of disinterested former disciples, a situation many modern teachers could probably relate to if they hadn’t literally crossed the Ganges to get there. Here the famous four noble truths were communicated.
The Teaching Buddha is seen using the Dharmachakra mudra which symbolizes the spinning wheel of dharma. The right hand is held with the palm facing outwards and the index finger touching the thumb, much like a modern diver informing his counterpart that it is okay. It is significant that the right hand is at chest level, logically letting us know that this message comes directly from the heart. The left hand faces inward, similarly creating a circle with the index finger and thumb, with the two hands coming together to create an infinity symbol of prayer.
There’s one major difference between the Laughing Buddha and all the other statues we’re discussing here (and, no, we’re not talking about his slight weight problem): it’s not Buddha! The Laughing Buddha, also known as the Buddha of Prosperity, is actually based on a 10th century CE Chinese monk known as “Budai”. he was just sitting there doing what he does best…laughing. The Laughing Buddha is said to bring happiness and prosperity, which are produced when you rub his ample belly.
As the name suggests, this pose depicts the Buddha lying on his right side. Far from taking an afternoon nap, this type of statue is said to represent the Buddha in his final earthly hours before his entry into Nirvana. This state is called “paranirvana”, a condition reserved only for enlightened beings at the end of life. The Buddha is usually seen supporting his head on a pillow with his right hand, but this is not a specific Buddhist mudra. Unfortunately, the reclining Buddha is not intended to encourage sleep (for this we can only recommend whale noises and caffeine avoidance), but its depiction of the Buddha in his final earthly moments should encourage a striving for harmony in oneself.
What Does A Buddha Represent?
Perhaps especially important in 2020, the Medicine Buddha is said to bring health and medicinal knowledge. The right hand faces both outwards and downwards, with outstretched fingers reaching toward the earth, said to represent the Buddha giving a blessing to mankind, and sometimes holding the stem of a healing plant. The left hand rests in the lap while holding a bowl of herbs. From time to time the Medicine Buddha is depicted as having glowing blue skin, referring to the legend in which he transformed himself into a brilliant blue light before a group of people to impart the wisdom of medicine. While we do not recommend this statue be purchased as a substitute for what the doctor ordered, it is ideal for those seeking health and wellness.
This pose, also called Earth Touching Buddha, depicts the Buddha at the peak of Enlightenment. It recounts the time when Siddhartha Gautama was meditating under the famous Bodhi tree, when a demon named Mara appeared and tried to persuade him to give up his goal and instead indulge in incomprehensible material riches and pleasures. Siddhartha Gautama used meditation to overcome these pulls. Upon attaining Buddhahood, the Buddha performed the Bhumiparsha mudra to summon the earth goddess so that she could witness his success in enlightenment. To wash Mara, the earth goddess squeezed her hair to create a flood that the demon couldn’t escape (we dread to think of her annual shampoo costs.)
In addition to being seated cross-legged, the Earth Touching Buddha is thus associated with the Bhumiparsha mudra, and given the nature of this background story, it is unsurprisingly an extremely popular depiction of the Buddha, especially in Thai temples. The left hand is placed in the lap with the right hand facing the ground with the palm facing inwards.
The Contemplation Buddha can be seen both sitting and standing. It is distinguished by the position of the hands, with both arms crossed on the chest. The right arm should always be above the left and the palms facing the chest. This creates a sense of limited confidence and is meant to symbolize determination, humility and tolerance, especially for those seeking to increase their spiritual resolve.
Buddhism And Buddhist Art
The least common of the poses and almost exclusive to Thailand, the Walking Buddha is rare in that it shows the Buddha in physical movement. This movement is communicated by moving the coat to one side and the food on the left is placed behind the right. The right hand is raised forward and facing outward. As you might expect, Buddha is not destination-less, nor is his destination as mundane as the local Tesco. Indeed, he is often said to travel to or from Heaven to preach (the classical Buddha), although he is occasionally depicted wearing shoes, which would mean that he has not yet reached Nirvana, or he would not engage with he. such earthly and materialistic desires. We all know at least one person who is way too committed to their footwear. Perhaps this statue would be ideal for them as this statue encourages the recognition of inner beauty and grace.
As we have seen, the seated position of the Buddha is the most common in these statues. There are two main sitting postures. The first, known as half lotus, the hero pose or Virasana, features the legs crossed over one another with the sole of one foot turned up. The second, called lotus, diamond, steadfast posture or Vajrasana, is the same but with both feet up.
However, there are also instances where the Buddha is afforded the luxury of sitting upright on a chair, called the European Sitting Pose or Pralambanasana. A famous story, for example, of a monkey and an elephant visiting the Buddha to make offerings is always recreated with the Buddha sitting on a chair. This is a particularly interesting story because the monkey in question was so delighted at the Buddha’s acceptance of his gift of honeycomb that he immediately suffered a fatal fall from the tree. Fortunately for Buddhists and animal lovers alike, the monkey was immediately reborn thanks to the generosity of his honey-based gift.
Speaking of gifts, the most common poses of the standing Buddha are the gift-giving (Varada) and the protecting (Abhava) Buddha. The standing Buddha is thus meant to encourage generosity and fearlessness. With both feet firmly planted, this position is not expected to invigorate movement and movement, but rather the intentions and ambience of the statue can be derived from the mudra. It is important to note the soles of the feet facing down as they contrast with the soles turned up during meditation.
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A specific example of a standing statue is the ocean-repelling Buddha. With two palms outstretched and facing forward, this statue tells him
