Buddha Figures

Standards of beauty vary, at times quite markedly, from region to region and from time period to time period. That is why the artists who made images of the Buddha followed different notions about what constitutes the ideal body.

A depiction of the Buddha may thus display a lean or a rotund body, a round or a long face, a long or a short nose, and so forth.

The representation of the robe also reflects local traditions.

In art, some of the Buddha’s bodily features as well as certain hand gestures recall events from his life story.

The elongated earlobes, for instance, are a reminder that the Buddha once used to be a prince and wore heavy earrings. Their presence in a Buddha image can be interpreted as a sign that the Buddha freed himself from worldly desires and attachment to transient things.

Another common representation of the Buddha shows him seated in meditation with his hands resting on each other in his lap. His eyes are usually closed but sometimes half open

The lotus throne on which he is seated underscores his significance as a great teacher.

The time when he started teaching is another significant moment in the life of the Buddha. It, too, is frequently depicted in Buddhist art.

This moment is referred to as the first turning of the Wheel of the Law.

In these images, the Buddha is seated with both hands raised to the level of his chest. The thumb and middle finger of each hand touch to form the shape of a wheel.

Images of the Buddha resting on his side call to mind a pivotal moment in his life story: his entry into parinirvana. This term refers to his physical death through which he attained complete extinction.

The Buddha had now reached his goal: he had broken the eternal cycle of death and rebirth and thus had overcome all suffering.