Buddha statues

[mountaingal]

Re: the question of Buddha's hair

the only depiction of Buddha without "nappy" hair comes from a region of ancient Pakistan/Afghanistan that was influenced by the Greeks (through Alexander the Great).

[mountaingal]

Buddha heads for meditation

The head of the Buddha usually shows three characteristics:
- a "bump" at the top of the head, the unisa, a sign of his enlightenment;
- the "third eye" between the eyebrows to show spiritual insight
- elongated earlobes, originally due to the heavy earrings he wore while still a prince, but which came to signify wisdom.

the eyes of a buddha head may be cast down to show looking inward (meditating). there's usually a serene expression.

[Wahalla]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

nice thread... That starving Buddha is way to stark... I once told the story of the snails to a black nationalist and got called nasty names...

Tjhere is a pagoda in Batterse Park London that has 4 images of Buddha

[Wahalla]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

[Wahalla]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

[Wahalla]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

there are also a number of statues of him in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London....

[mountaingal]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

curious that there would be buddha statues in a public park in the land of the defender of the anglican faith.

thanks for posting, Wahalla.

the pointing up gesture by this buddha is new to me, don't think i ran across it when research images of buddha.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wahalla</div><div class="ubbcode-body">


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[Wahalla]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

that is the new britian.. I mean there is a statute of Nelson Mandela in front of parliament..

And prince charles made a similar point.. he wants to change the title of the monarchy from defender of the faith, to defender of all faiths.

There is a monument to the West India regiment in St Pauls.. (I saw it years ago.. went back and could not find it and the authorties could not find it either!)

[jah_yout]

Re: Seated Buddha

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MGee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">sitting, the pose of meditation, is the most commonly depicted position for buddha statues. the statue can be seated &quot;half lotus&quot;, one leg on top of the other, or &quot;full lotus|, with the legs fully intertwined.

the key is to look at the hands - the gestures have different meanings.

this buddha statue from Laos is seated half-lotus.
the left hand is on the lap, palm up, denoting <span style="font-weight: bold">meditation</span>.
the right hand, over the knee is pointing down, the fingers touching the ground just under the knee. this is &quot;<span style="font-weight: bold">calling the earth</span>&quot; and refers to a story where buddha overcame temptation with the help of the earth mother. this gesture symbolizes overcoming hindrances. it is a popular gesture in thailand statues.





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notice it is usually depicted with africoid type hair...tightly coiled...

ok i won't get into that..some people might not be ready for this yet

[jah_yout]

Re: the question of Buddha's hair

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MGee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">my cousin who lives in Thailand keeps a short fro. when she's going out, she washes it then puts in lotion (i think she got the tip from essence magazine), and leaves it. her curls form little tight curls, and she says many Thai people remark on how her hair looks like the Buddha's. my cousin takes a certain pleasure in that, though she doesn't believe in buddhism.

buddha's hair has been depicted in many ways, mostly in ways that nuff have chosen to interpret as nappy hair, meaning that the buddha was likely african or of african heritage.



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ok i see you touched on it

dem neva know seh buddha a black man

[rudemonk]

Re: the question of Buddha's hair

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MGee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">this particular double curl style is said to be representations of snails. there's a story that one time while the buddha was meditating in sun hot, some snails gathered on his head to prevent him getting sunstroke, so these depictions of the budhha's &quot;hair&quot; is homage to the snails.


the other story, i think somewhat older, is that the buddha, when he decided to give up his royal life, cut his hair very short, with the resulting short curls. </div></div>

it's far more likely it was a convention adopted, and not snails. nobody knows actually how gotama looked, we do have the oral traditions of his renunciation, when he lopped off his long hair as a sign of separation from his past life, to this day buddhist monks and nuns and disciples shave their heads for this reason- it symbolizes to the world one has left home and renounced their former lives, to begin a new. it is part of a ritual, actually, one which is about to take place in my temple.

also, it helps deflate the ego. especially if you are one of many many many who all look the same.

[rudemonk]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MGee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

the pointing up gesture by this buddha is new to me, don't think i ran across it when research images of buddha.
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this is a variation on two mudras, the pointing up or rather open palm facing the viewer raised, is the fear dispelling gesture, open palm facing down is the boon bestowing gesture.

probably descends from a universal archetypal gesture, showing you have no weapon, thus nothing to fear.

for further interest you can compare other spiritual representations, such as this Mayan Maize God:

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

Each mudra including special gestures (hand And finger position).

I font know them all,but I know the ones That I had specific interest in.

They are used while pronouncing the mantra to open the influential chackra to assist in achieving the desires state intended.

there is a mudra for every state And each have their unique gestures that are associated with it.

Every pose the buddah is presented in has specific significance as dipicted.they are simply considered a more permanent means of recording then.
It is just that it has survived and have been seperated from the written records.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: monk</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MGee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

the pointing up gesture by this buddha is new to me, don't think i ran across it when research images of buddha.
</div></div>

this is a variation on two mudras, the pointing up or rather open palm facing the viewer raised, is the fear dispelling gesture, open palm facing down is the boon bestowing gesture.

probably descends from a universal archetypal gesture, showing you have no weapon, thus nothing to fear.

for further interest you can compare other spiritual representations, such as this Mayan Maize God:

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[rudemonk]

Re: Standing Buddha

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MGee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Standing buddhas usually are in positions where their gestures signify the bestowing of blessings.

this unusual statue in Malaysia shows a standing buddha with his right hand, palm outward, bent at the wrist, all fingers pointing up. this gesture is called &quot;fearlessness&quot; or &quot;reassurance&quot;. on his left hand the index and pinkie are extended to look like horns, this is a gesture to banish demons. <span style="font-style: italic">it's also become popular with metalheads.</span>



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LMAO! they didn't get that fax lol!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
this standing buddha in Afghanistan was the tallest in the world, but the taliban blew it up few years ago.
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frown. but, it's just rocks...

[Wahalla]

Re: Buddha heads for meditation

I never realized that the postion of the hand had any significance... You learn as you live!!!


Raises an interesting question... in the 70's alot of rasta artist began copying the Selassie gesture where the finger tips on both hands were touching.. Was this a personal gesture or does it have buddist meaning ????. I usto try it and it does have an effect as I find it hard to maintain and requires concentration...