Lotus Blossom

Lotus Blossom

Buddha Statues

The statues and figurines of Buddha we see all around us are the statues of Shakyamuni Siddhartha Gautama the “Buddha” who was born in Kapilavastu, an ancient province of Nepal, as the son of king Suddhodana and Queen Maya Devi. The Queen had few auspicious dreams before the lord entered her womb from the Tushita heaven.

As Prince Siddhartha Gautama came to the age 28 he renounced the kingdom and lived the life of a mendicant. He sought and attained enlightenment in six years under a pipala tree and became a Buddha, in Bodhgaya. After enlightenment he uttered this stanza:

“Through many births I have passed the builder of the house of pain is gone and I am free from any more births”

Shakyamuni Buddha preached dharma through out his life and the light of the world had gone out and lord passed away into Nirvana at an old age of over 80.

Talking of Buddha statues & figurines, the statues of Buddha are found in a wide variety of poses, the most common of all the type is the sitting Buddha statue in a lotus position. The posture displays inner and outer balance and tranquillity. In meditating Buddha statues the posture of the hand or the mudra, have the fingers of the right hand resting lightly on the left as they lay in the enlightened one’s lap and legs are crossed in a Lotus position. Many Buddha statues sit on a pedestal in a lotus blossom which represents the enlightened being or emptiness.

Another posture is the Abhaya mudra in which the right hand is raised and is the gesture of dispelling fear. Statues calling the earth to bear witness are represented by postures where the right hand is touching the earth below, which displays total faith. And, finally the reclining Buddha statue represents Buddha’s passage into death or Nirvana, as the disciples, angles and gods bade farewell to never returner Shakyamuni Buddha. Medicine Buddha statue symbolizes the belief that Buddha parted knowledge on medicine along with spiritual guidance.

The Mudras or postures of Hands of the Shakyamuni Buddha figures are either in abhaya (Fearlessness), Dhyana (meditation), Dharmachakra Parivartana (turning of the wheel of Dharma or doctrine or religion) and Bhumisparsa (calling the earth goddess to witness the touching of the earth by the right hand)

Buddha statues are hand made and thus they are artisan’s labour of Love, or a loving heart and moving hands giving them shapes in definite postures. The earliest representations of Buddha were mounds erected on the relics of Buddha, also known as “Stupa”. The external decorations on the stupas display the entire life of the Buddha from leaving home to enlightenment and to Mahaparinirvana.

The largest and tallest Buddha statues were found in Afghanistan which were colossal in size and have been much recently destroyed by the Taliban’s. The Statues of Buddha in Nepal are generally made out of gold, granite, bronze, copper, brass, resin, silver, ceramic, wood, etc. And, they are put on sale in a fine work of display in Thamel and Durbar Square in the ancient city of Kathmandu in Nepal or sold in various online Buddha Statues store like http://himalayacrafts.com at wholesale or retail. The standing Buddha statues with flowering robes is also common. And Buddha heads and hands are also found for sale.

All these meanings behind the Buddha statues bring forth the memories of the enlightened master who once walked upon this earth 2500 years ago. In other words they are reminiscences of the “Grand Master”.

About the Author

Kshitize Agrawal
http://himalayacrafts.com
Buddha Statues & Sculptures

Lotus Blossom $24.99 Lotus Blossom - Photographic Print

Lotus Blossom - 1 $44.99 Robert McIntosh Lotus Blossom - 1 - Giclee Print

Man Measuring Lotus Blossom $79.99 Man Measuring Lotus Blossom - Premium Photographic Print

Lotus Flower in Blossom, China $29.99 Keren Su Lotus Flower in Blossom, China - Photographic Print

Beautiful Pink Lotus Blossom $39.99 Jodi Cobb Beautiful Pink Lotus Blossom - Photographic Print

China, Lotus Flower in Blossom $24.99 Keren Su China, Lotus Flower in Blossom - Photographic Print

Lotus Blossom, Maldives, Indian Ocean $124.99 Stuart Westmorland Lotus Blossom, Maldives, Indian Ocean - Wall Mural

Lotus $19.99 Lotus T-Shirt Tie-dyed T-shirt. Front has colorful image of a lotus blossom in different shades of purple, blue and orange. In between the petals are orange and yellow images of a Lotus Goddess. Back has purple and white Celtic knot design. 100 percent h

Marty Lotus Blossom Stud Earrings $52 Get an effortless and chic look with these Marty lotus blossom stud earrings. The lotus blossom studs have a matte finish and are intricately decorated. The 16k gold plated studs are connected to sterling silver posts.

Lotus Blossom Chain Earrings $190 You'll be on cloud nine when you are wearing the lotus blossom chain earrings by Real Jewels. Two cutout-detailed lotus drops hang from the bottom of peridot-detailed gold vermeil chains for a gorgeous combination. The ear wires are designed for pierced e

A Delicate Pink Blossom Adorns a Lotus Plant $39.99 Jodi Cobb A Delicate Pink Blossom Adorns a Lotus Plant - Photographic Print

China, Sichuan Province, Lotus Flower in Blossom $24.99 Keren Su China, Sichuan Province, Lotus Flower in Blossom - Photographic Print

'Lotus Blossom II' (Thailand) $422.95 Myriad lotuses blossom with enchanted beauty in a watercolor painting from Thailand's Chirawat. Known as bua, the lotus is regarded in Thailand as the queen of water plants. Most of the flower, seeds and roots are edible. According to Buddhist teachings, the lotus is a symbol of purity because though its roots are in mud, its flower rises over the murky water and is fragrant. It is therefore used as offerings in Buddhist altars and sculptures.

Sothys Cherry Blossom & Lotus Body Escape Collection $89 ($112.00 Value) Cherry Blossom & Lotus. Embark on a relaxing and enchanting journey. Fragrance: floral, powdery. Cherry Blossom & Lotus Body Escape Collection includes: Sothys Cherry Blossom and Lotus Escape Shower Cream (200 ml/6.76 oz.) Sothys Cherry Blossom and Lotus Escape Relaxing Body Scrub (200 ml/6.76 oz.) Sothys Cherry Blossom and Lotus Escape Hydrating Body Mist (200 ml/6.76 oz.)

The Lotus Blossom $19.43 No Synopsis Available

'Lotus Blossom I' (Thailand) $409.95 Tall verdant stalks reveal the lush beauty of lotus blossoms in a painting by Chirawat. Known as bua, the lotus is regarded in Thailand as the queen of water plants. Most of the flower, seeds and roots are edible. According to Buddhist teachings, the lotus is a symbol of purity because though its roots are in mud, its flower rises over the murky water and is fragrant. It is therefore used as offerings in Buddhist altars and sculptures.

Sacred Lotus Blossom (Nelumbo Nucifera) Stamen and Pistil $24.99 Jonathan Speer Sacred Lotus Blossom (Nelumbo Nucifera) Stamen and Pistil - Photographic Print

Enormous Lotus Blossom in Shinobazu Pond, Ueno Park $124.99 Rachel Lewis Enormous Lotus Blossom in Shinobazu Pond, Ueno Park - Wall Mural

Kenny Burrell - Lotus Blossom $24.66 Track Listing:Satin DollOnce Upon A Summertime / When The World Was YoungI`m Falling For YouThey Can`t Take That Away From MeOld FolksWarm ValleyThere Will Never Be Another YouLotus BlossomIf You Could See Me NowNight Has A Thousand Eyes, TheI Don`t Stand A Ghost Of A ChanceMinha (All Mine)For Once In My Life - (bonus track)