Buddha figues that are seen outside Hindu temples or available in specialist shops, are stylisations of the great Buddha – Siddhartha Gauama. He was born around 400BC in the ancient province of Nepal, and was the son fo KIng Suddhadana and Queen Maya Devi. The Queen had a special dream, according to legend, in which the future Buddha was conceived. In this dream, she saw a white elephant with six white tusks enter her right side; ten months later Siddhartha was born.
When Siddhartha reached the age fo 27, he renounced his kingdom and inheritance, and became a beggar or medicant. He strove for enlightenment for six years under a pipala tree and eventually became a Buddha, in Bodhgaya. After enlightenment, he is thought to have remarked “Through many births I have passed; the builder of the house of pain is gone and I am free from any more births”.
Shakyamuni liked to preach ‘dharma throughtout his life, which means one’s righteous duty or virtuous path in Indian spiritual and religious context. In a Hindu’s life, a dhama is affected by how old that person is, their class, occupation and sex.
A Buddha statue & ornaments are found in a wide variety of poses, the most common of all the type is the sitting Buddha statue in a lotus position. Inner and outer balance and tranquility is displayed in the posture. 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 Buddha’s lap with the legs crossed in a Lotus position. A large number of Buddha statues sit inside a lotus blossom on a pedistal, which now represents ‘enlightenment’ or emptiness.
Buddha statues make wonderful unusual gifts for anyone. If you wish to see our range along with other products such as retro phones, visit our website at paprikashop.co.uk.
