Buddha Statue

A Buddha statue or painting is called a Buddharupa, “the form of an Enlightened One” in Sanskrit. Cannons were soon developed dictating how he should be portrayed, identifying 32 Buddhist lakshanas “auspicious marks” or physical traits that should be reflected in sanctified Buddha images. They included an elongated body, face, fingers, arms, hands and ears; a tuft of hair between the eyebrows (urna) and a cranial protuberance (ushnisha). His head was to be covered with pointed or spiral curls often referred to as a snail crowned. Lakshanas were closely followed in Theravada Buddhism, but many interpretations and variances were incorporated in Mahayana and later Buddhist sects. He is most often shown seated two positions: meditation (dhyana mudra) which he assumed when meditating under the Bodhi tree before attaining enlightenment that represents perfect physical and spiritual balance and Earth Witnessing (bhumisparsha mudra) as he reaches the right hand to touch the earth to call witness to resisting the temptations of demon Mara and reaching enlightenment. He generally sits on a lotus pedestal or throne called a padmapita wearing a three-part monk’s robe (dhoti). Shakyamuni is the fourth Buddha of the present kalpa (era) and will be followed by the fifth, Maitreya (Mi-lo-Fu) in three thousand years.