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Buddha Statues
Buddha Statues are carvings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Historical Buddha. They are used in Buddhist temples and on altar tables for pooja (Buddhist religious ceremonies of veneration), but many people will place statues in their homes or gardens, either to help cultivate Feng Shui or to create a Zen Garden. People will often make offerings to the statues on auspicious days, but many non-Buddhist will place statues in their homes to help create a feeling of peacefulness and serenity, or to create a space for meditation. There are many different meanings of Buddha Statues, and the symbolism varies based on the posture and hand gesture of the statue. Similarly there are many different types of materials used in making the figures. In Asia it is common for Buddha statues to be cast in brass and bronze, as well as to have sculptures carved in Lava Stone, Lime Stone, and schist. Non-Buddhists can become confused about the different styles because aside from Shakyamuni, statues of the Happy Buddha (Ho Tai) are very popular as well.
Materials Used In StatuesThese statues are made from a variety of different materials. In Thailand and India artists tend to prefer making metal sculptures, and many Buddha rupas are made of brass (a shiny gold color), and copper. Stone statues are more common from Bali, while throughout much of Southeast Asia you can still find Wood Buddha Carvings (usually Rosewood, Suar, or Mango wood), and Resin (which is usually painted a dark color) are also used in constructing figures. Less common materials are ceramics and porcelains, usually finished in white, which are common for Chinese style Statues (especially for Statues of Kuan Yin). The Meanings of Buddha Poses, Postures and Mudras:A lot of people ask us "What does this Buddha statue mean?" What they are really asking is, "What does the posture of this Buddha statue mean?", since the pose of the statue has a particular significance to an event in the life of the historical Buddha. Also referred to as an asana or an Attitude, there are over 100 poses illustrating the life of the Buddha. And each posture will have a specific hand gesture, called a Mudra, associated with the posture. An example would be with both hands folded face-up, resting in the lap. This is the attitude of meditation. Meditation is significant in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha because the Buddha meditated under the Tree Of Wisdom (Bodhi Tree) to attain enlightenment. In Thailand, which is a Theravada Buddhist country, statues often depict the Buddha with the legs in the "Single Lotus Pose," meaning that one leg rests on top of the other leg. There is also a "Double Lotus Pose" where the heel of the bottom leg is then pulled up so that it is "locked" into the top leg. You will find similarities between some of the different statue postures and many similar named yoga poses. The Protection Buddha is carved with the the Right Hand raised, palm outward, so as to offer protection or to ward off fear. There are many other common poses as well, with the most common pose you will find in Thai temples is with the legs crossed, the left hand in the lap, and the right hand pointing to the ground with the palm facing inward toward the Buddha. This posture is known as Calling The Earth to Witness, and it is the definition of the moment of enlightenment for the Buddha. The name refers to the Buddha asking the Earth to witness that the Buddha was not trying to reach enlightenment solely for himself, but for the benefit of all mankind. According to the Buddhist Canon, the Buddha meditated all night to overcome the fears and temptations sent by the demon Mara to defeat the Buddha. Instead, the Buddha called the Earth Goddess to witness that the Buddha achieved enlightenment in order to share with the rest of the world. Witnessing that, the Earth Goddess wrung her hair, releasing flood waters that swept away the Demon Mara and all the temptresses he had released. In Thailand (and possibly in Cambodia, Burma and Laos), there is a different Buddha Statue for each day of the week. So for people born on a Monday, they would have a statue in one particular posture, while people born on a Tuesday would have a different Buddha Statue. Likewise, those people born on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, etc., would all have statues in different postures. Having said that, almost every Buddhist in Thailand would have at least one statue in the posture of Calling the Earth to Witness, and at lest one of the Buddha in Meditation, no matter which day of the week they were born.
Where Should I Put My Statue?While their are many books and articles written on where to place a Buddha Statue in the home for the best Feng Shui, we are not experts in that area, and can only provide you with a basic list of "Do's and Don'ts" for placing a Buddha statue in your home or garden.
An Introduction to Buddha Statues and SculpturesFor several hundred years after the Buddha entered Nirvana in 486 BCE, there were few, if any, Buddha sculptures or carvings. In fact, images of the Buddha were quite uncommon, with artists preferring to depict Buddhist symbols instead. In temple carvings and artwork, the Buddha was "represented" by the depiction of spiritual objects, such as a lotus blossom or a conch shell. It wasn't until the Maurya Dynasty, especially under the Buddhist King Ashoka (about 273 to 227 BCE) had united most of the Indian subcontinent, did Buddhist art have an official patron. Prior to that, there were precious few statues or sculptures of any kind, as the Aryan people and their Vedic religion produced great written and oral works, but almost no sculptured pieces. Even then, Buddhist statues from this period tended to be pillars or other non anthropomorphic pieces. Gandhara Period StatuesBy the third century of the common era, the Gandhara style had developed, and artists were producing Greco-Buddhist sculptures. These statues had been directly influenced by Hellenistic arts, so it appears that statue making had been so minimal in the hundreds of years preceding this period that they had to "import" ideas from Greece (where Buddhism had spread) of how a Buddha statue should look. As Gandhara is centered in the Northwest of India, and was a place were many invading armies had passed, it probably should not be too much of a surprise that early statues and art was heavily influenced by Persian and Greek forms. Contemporary of the Gandhara period were the Mathura and Amaravati styles, which also produced large amounts of Buddhist artwork. The Mathura style was also heavily influenced by foreign tastes, while Amaravati sculptures were less so. The Classic Indian Buddhist SculptureIndian art historians look to the Gupta period, which spanned from approximately 320 to 550 CE, as the classic period of statue making. Buddhist art started to shed its Greek influence, and the Buddha was depicted looking more Indian like. At the same time, images of the Buddha became more stylized - less emphasis was put on making a realistic portrait, and instead the focus was on producing a carving that looked like the subject was lost in a spiritual quest. Where Hellenistic are had been lifelike, the new Buddha's face had symmetric features, a calm expression, and details that were considered "nonessential" were left out. The favorite materials used in sculpture making from the Gupta period were sandstone, limestone and schist. Statue Styles from AsiaAs the Gupta period came to an end, Buddhism also was declining in India as well. It had to contend with a resurgence in Hinduism, as well as persecution from invading Muslim groups that eventually ruled almost all of present-day India. But as Buddhism declined in the land of its birthplace, it was on the ascension throughout much of East and Southeast Asia, and the Buddhist art produced in those countries could arguably rival any of that produced in the preceding years in India. The Sukhothai style of Buddhist art from Thailand, for example, is considered by many people to be the ultimate expression of the Buddha sculptures and statues. Others will argue that Khmer (Cambodian), Japanese, Chinese, etc., styles are the ultimate artistic expression. But what almost everyone can agree on is that Buddhist statues from each region has distinct characteristics. To the trained eye, it is easy to tell a Chinese statue from a Thai figure, or a Korean sculpture from an Indian carving. Common Characteristics Among Different StatuesIn general, the Buddha is depicted as sitting with the legs crossed. This makes a "triangle" shape to the image; the knees making the two bottom points of the triangle shape, while the tip of the head makes the top point of the triangle. The significance is that a triangle shape is more "grounded" or has a more solid foundation. But there are a few postures that are not seated with crossed legs, namely the Maitreya Buddha, where the "Buddha of the Future" sits in a chair Western style. Also, there is a story of how a monkey and an elephant visited to make offerings to the Buddha, and in those images he is depicted sitting in a chair as well. There are standing Buddhas, and in Thailand, one of the most beloved forms is of the Walking Buddha statue, which is exclusive to the Sukhothai period of Thai art. Although there are no absolute rules when a statue is created, the most common representations of the Buddha have numerous similarities (with a few exceptions).
There are of course exceptions to this; we've seen statues where the Buddha is standing upon the head of the Hindu God Brahma (which to devotees of Brahma would be incredibly offensive). And as mentioned before, the Happy Buddha (who has an ample stomach and a round, smiling face) looks nothing at all like the historical Buddha. Common Mudras and Related Attitudes:Right Hand Raised - Protection from evil, warding off fear. This is typically in a standing pose, but you can see a seated pose with right hand raised. Thai Buddha Poses For The Day Of The Week :In Thailand each day of the week is associated with a particular Buddha pose, and "your" pose is determined by which day of the week you were born. (The Thai zodiac puts as much importance on the day of the week - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. - as on the actual date or month). So everyone born on a Monday would have one special posture, while everyone born on a Thursday would have a different posture, etc. Thus, everyone in Thailand knows which day of the week they were born. If you have ever been to a Thai temple, then you might see an area where there are 8 (not seven) small Buddha statues set aside, often with small bowls next tot them where you can make merit by putting money into those bowls. The money is then used to help maintain the temple. You make merit by donating in the bowl of the statue that represents the day on which you were born. Why 8 instead of 7 when there are only 7 days in a week? You'll see in a moment. Sunday: The Buddha stands with arms crossed over the stomach, right hand over the left, with the back of the hands facing outward. The eyes are open and this is a pose of mental insight. Monday: The right hand is raised in the pose of Preventing Calamities or Preventing Relatives from Fighting. Tuesday: The Buddha in a reclining pose (made famous by Wat Pho in Bangkok, Thailand). The Buddha lies on His right side, with right hand tucked up under the head, and the left hand lying along the left side of the body. Wednesday BEFORE Noon: Thai people split Wednesday into two different poses - those who are born before noon on Wednesday are represented by the Buddha in the pose of collecting alms, where both hands carry and alms bowl in front of the chest. Wednesday AFTER Noon: The Buddha sitting with a Monkey and an Elephant, which are giving offerings to the Buddha. This is a rather unusual pose that many westerners may not have ever seen before. Thursday: The Buddha In Meditation, one of the most well known poses of the Buddha. The Buddha sits in the lotus pose with the hands resting in the lap, both palms facing upwards. Friday: The Buddha standing in contemplation, with both arms crossing the chest, and the right hand on top of the left, with the backs of the hands facing outward. Saturday: The Buddha Seated under a Naga (Seven Headed Serpent), again in Meditation. This pose depicts the meditation Buddha being protected from falling rain by the spread out hood of the Naga. Related Articles:The Differences Between Buddhism and Hinduism Where To Place A Buddha Statue Free Photos of Buddhist Statues and Temples
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