Buddha Shakyamuni was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama in 560 BCE in Lumbini Park in the Himalayan foothills, the son of king Śuddhodana Gautama of the Shakya clan and Queen Maya. According to Buddhist scriptures both his conception and birth were miraculous. During a full moon Queen Maya dreamed that a white elephant entered her womb through the right side of her chest, and she became pregnant. On the way to her father’s kingdom she gave birth in a standing position grasping a sala tree in Lumbini Park. He emerged from Maya’s side fully formed. He took seven steps and at each step, a lotus appeared. At the seventh stride, he stopped and with a noble voice proclaimed he was the king of the world, and after him there will be no more coming to be. In most Mahayana depictions of the miraculous birth, the Buddha is depicted as a standing infant with one hand pointing to heavens and the other down to earth to symbolize his supremacy over all aspects of the universe. He immediately walked in multiple directions, and with each step lotus plants grew, and at the seventh stride, he stopped and with a noble voice proclaimed:
“The chief am I in all the world.
Eldest am I in the world.
Foremost am I in the world.
This is the last birth.
There is now no more coming to be.”
The auspicious birthday took place with a full moon now celebrated as Vesak – the festival of the triple event of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. In Theravada Buddhism on Vesak images are washed by Buddhist priests during a special ceremony.
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This rare carving of the infant Buddha with well defined features is clearly a provincial rendering that uniquely departs from traditional renderings. He holds a monk’s begging bowl as he points to the heavens and he stands on a lion’s head, as he is the lion of the Shakya clan. Given its small size, it was probably displayed on a home altar.
Given that this image of the infant Buddha is missing both arms it is remarkable that it is remains a powerful yet charming sculpture. Created by a skilled rural artisan from one dense piece of wood, this rare statue of the the young Buddha is a humble child in a relaxed and confident stance with a youthful torso, a round head, bent legs, wearing a modest waist-cloth and standing on a small plain round base.
This rare wood carving of the Buddha as an infant is remarkable because of the way it has survived. As with many antique Chinese wood carvings, there is extensive deterioration from age/insect damage. Although there is total loss to the arms, legs and torso, it is virtually untouched from the neck up. This is a piece for lovers of wood, with the body worn to a delicately smooth but irregular surface. It is probably more striking than original piece, as its erosion shows the random miracle of chance and is highlighted on a frosted acrylic base. .
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