The historical Buddha is seated in the lotus or meditation posture (vajrasana) with one hand resting in the lap and the other in a gesture that calls the earth to witness his great resolve. Earrings inlaid with turquoise adorn the Buddha's elongated ear lobes and are said to symbolize his royal background.
The Shakyamuni Buddha is depicted in a most typical pose, that of meditation. There are other symbolic representations as well. There is the cranial protuberance (ushnisha) symbolizing supernatural wisdom. The mark between the eyes (urna) is symbolic of spiritual illumination. The helmet-like headpiece (ushnisha) is topped by a knob representing a symbolic jewel (cudamani). His monk's robe hosts decorative borders reminiscent of former princely raiment.
When first studying the Shakyamuni Buddha, even the uninitiated eye will recognize the religious influence and symbolism. At first glance it is evident Buddha is in a state of repose. Tranquility shows in his face as his eyes are half closed signifying that a state of meditation.
The Lotus position with legs crossed is almost universally known as symbolic of meditation. Still, it does add to the overall sense of tranquility. Buddha's hand positions speak clearly of its symbolic meaning- Buddha's resolve - perhaps more significantly than his face or eyes. The uninitiated could easily mistake Buddha's half closed eyes as someone merely sleepy after a heavy meal, but the hands are indicative of action and meaning -- a person can sense there is symbolic meaning in the position of the hands.
As stated earlier, to fully appreciate the Shakyamuni Buddha sculpture in its entirety it is important to have a basic knowledge of the Buddhist religion and culture.
Eight Great Events of Buddha
The Buddha's life is often depicted through the Eight Great Events which are as follows:
1. Descent from Tushita Heaven
2. Birth
3. Four Encounters
4. Renunciation
5. Asceticism
6. Taming of Mara
7. 1st Turning of Wheel at Deer Park
8. Parinirvana
After...
Therefore, this particular stupa is emblematic of a literal quality in its representation of the final triumph over the stages of life and death of Buddha. This temple was used to perform religious rituals and was visited as a pilgrimage site. Adherents would circle it with their right shoulders facing it, indicative of a correctness aligned with this religion. Although this and other stupas covered religious artifacts, they served
D.). Rather than standing alone and interacting with the gazer, this Buddha holds back and is flanked by attendants, creating his own scene in the context of the relief. The Buddha's divinity, rather than his humanness is stressed in the design. The Buddha's hand is in a gesture of reassurance, conveyed from on high, as he sits upon an elevated platform. Three seated Buddhas in the halo symbolize the deity's eternal
The lowermost portion of the composition is more cluttered than the uppermost portion, serving a symbolic function. The artist contrasts the mundane world of the human mind and society with the transcendent world of enlightenment. The blue halo surrounding Shantarakshita leads the eye upward, via a lotus blossom, towards the two figures above him: Shakyamuni Buddha to the right and Shantarakshita's own teacher to the left ("Historical Narrative: Shantarakshita"). Although
Jesus' Teachings, Prayer, & Christian Life "He (Jesus) Took the Bread. Giving Thanks Broke it. And gave it to his Disciples, saying, 'This is my Body, which is given to you.'" At Elevation time, during Catholic Mass, the priest establishes a mandate for Christian Living. Historically, at the Last Supper, Christ used bread and wine as a supreme metaphor for the rest of our lives. Jesus was in turmoil. He was
In addition, this door panel, composed of cedar wood, may represent a type of social event which was rather prominent during the Early Christian period, circa 430 C.E. Since one can make out some kind of brick background behind the three figures, the panel might not have been designed to teach or provide instruction on a spiritual event like the crucifixion of Jesus but may be images "from an early
1960's approximately 200,000 people in the United States claimed to be of the Buddhists sect (Nattlier). Some of these began to think of themselves as Buddhist after a personal experience such as visiting Asia, reading in depth about the religion or talking with others who had experienced the religion firsthand. However, most of them were Hawaiian residents whose parents and grandparents had immigrated from China and Japan. Today these
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now