About Buddha
The Buddha
Michael Carrithers guides us through the complex and sometimes conflicting information that Buddhist texts give about the life and teaching of the Buddha. He discusses the social and political background of India in the Buddha's time, and traces the development of his thought.
Merchant: eBooks
Coots Buddha Belly Figurine
From the Coots collection. Coots figurine is titled Buddha Belly. Reads \"Still has the body of a god...Buddha\" on the base. A perfect gift for that Over the Hill Coot. Made of solid resin. Stands 6.75\" tall.
Merchant: Fun to Collect
Buddha literally means "awakened" or "that which has become aware". It is the past participle of the Sanskrit root budh, i.e. "to awaken" or "to become aware".
In Buddhism, a Buddha (Sanskrit, Pāli) is any being that has become fully enlightened, has permanently overcome anger, greed, and ignorance, and has achieved complete liberation from suffering, better known as Nirvana. It is commonly used to refer to Siddhartha Gautama, the historical founder of Buddhism.
Generally, Buddhists do not consider Siddhartha Gautama to have been the only Buddha. The word Buddha is simply a title that means 'The Awakened One'. A Buddha is considered anyone who has become Enlightened (i.e. having awakened to the truth, or Dharma), and experienced a state of Nirvana. Hence, Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Shakyamuni Buddha is in fact one of many such beings who have existed in the past, and will continue to exist in the future. Some Buddhists believe the next great Buddha will be one named Maitreya. While anyone can become Enlightened and experience Nirvana, some Buddhist texts such as the Lotus Sutra imply that all beings will become Buddhas at some point in time.
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Buddha as Art
Buddhas are frequently represented in the form of statues. Commonly seen designs include:
- Seated Buddha, as shown in the right (top)
- Reclining Buddha, as shown to the right (middle)
- Standing Buddha, as shown to the right (bottom)
- Hotei, the obese, Laughing Buddha, usually seen in China. This figure is believed to be a representation of a medieval Chinese monk who is associated with Maitreya, the future Buddha, and it is therefore not technically a Buddha image.
Most depictions of Buddha contain a certain number of markings, which are considered the signs of his enlightenment. These signs vary regionally, but three are common:
- A protuberance on the top of the head (denoting superb mental accuity)
- Long earlobes (denoting superb perception)
- A third eye (also denoting superb perception)
The poses and hand-gestures of these statues, known respectively as asanas and mudras, are significant to their overall meaning. The popularity of any particular mudra or asana tends to be region-specific, such as the Vajra (or Chi Ken-in) mudra, which is popular in Japan and Korea but rarely seen in India. Others are more universally common, for example, the Varada (Wish Granting) mudra is common among standing statues of the Buddha, particularly when coupled with the Abhaya (Fearlessness and Protection) mudra.
The Buddha being shown calling for rain is a pose rarely found outside of Laos. Another very rare Buddha statue is the so-called 'Emaciated Buddha' which shows Siddartha Gautama during the ascetic phase of his life, starving himself in meditation.