Images of the Buddha

Before the image of the Buddha came into existence, various symbols were worshipped (BC480-AD180). Such symbols were related in the Buddha life. 

Dr.Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar brought the following buddhist symbols as our National Symbols by the Constituent Assembly on 22nd July 1947

01. Dhammachakra in the National Flag 

Dhammachakra has been placed onto the centre of the National Flag of India. The 24 spokes represent the Twelve Laws of Dependent Organisation and the Twelve laws of Dependent Termination. That 12 laws are 01.Ignorance 02.Impression 03.Consciousness 04.Mind-Body Organism 05. Six Senses 06. Sense contact 07. Sense Experience 08.Craving 09. Mental Clinging 10.Will to born 11. Rebirth and 12.Suffering

02. National Flower
The lotus is symbol of purity. This is why the Buddha sits on a lotus in bloom.
Aspects of the path
     1. Samsara - The lotus grows from the mud
     2. Purification - It grows up through muddy water it appear clean on the surface
     3. Enlightenment - Finally produce a beautiful flower

03. National Embalam

The Lion Capital of Ashoka at Saranath, in the State of Uttar Pradesh 

     1. The four lions facing in four different directions

     2. Carries carvings of four different Animals

        1. East Direction - An Elephant

        2. West Direction - A Bull

        3. North Direction - A Lion

        4. South Direction - A Horse (The above four animals were separated by the four 

 dhammachakra wheel)

IMAGES OF THE BUDDHA

The Buddha images are a remainder of the teachings of the Buddha. The first human figure worshipped in India was that of the Buddha and 'first introduced by the Mahayana Buddhist at the beginning of the Christian era. The Buddha images have very different appearances in different countries. The Buddhist rulers selected different centres from the skilled artistes. Therefore various school of art were established'. (02/Pg63) 

Gandhara artiest was the first produced the Buddha in human form

01. Gandhara artiest was the first produced the Buddha in human form - Alfred Foucher (3) G.C Chauley. (04/Pg 98)

02. Indian sculptor (The Mathura artiest) produced the Buddha images by looking up the images of Greece (The Gandhara images). But the image of the Buddha was set to follow in Indian Ancient sculptural method -Dr. Aananda Coomaraswamy (01/ Pg 73)

03.Growth and the beauty of the human form in the most noble of Cyril developed and in the most developed state of the art of classical and the creator of the world most famous were Romans and Greek.(05)  In the western countries like Greece, Rome etc the Portrait Sculptures grew well like that in our country Portrait Sculptures somewhat learned but not reached full growth(06/Pg 39) 

Gandhara Arts Vs Maduthra Arts

The Buddha cut off his hair with his sword in reunication. His hair was reduced to two inches in length, and curling from the right, it lay close to his head. There was no need at all to shave any more' -Rhys Davids (08)

According to the lakkhana sutta of Digha Nikaya (DN30) and Brahamayu sutta of Majjhima Nikaya (MN91) the Buddha has 32 peculiar marks on his body. 

01.Well Planted Feet

02. Wheel marks on the base of the feet

03. Projecting heels

04. Long Fingers

05. Soft delicate hands and feet

06. Hands and feet covered with a network of lines

07. Arched feet

08. Antelope limbs

09. Hands that can reach to the knees with no bending

10. Private member in sheath

11. Golden complexion

12. Delicate skin

13. One hair for every pore

14. Body hair standing stright up

15. Upright limbs

16. Seven Protuberances(on the hands, Feet and crown of the head)

17. The front part of the body like a lion

18. Full shoulders

19. The rotundity of a banyan tree

20. The branching of the trunk well rounded 

21. Superior delicacy of taste  (Saliva that improves the taste of all food)

22. A lion-Jaw

23. Forty teeth

24. Even teeth

25. Teeth without gaps

26. Very white teeth

27. Long tongue

28. Voice deep and resonant  

29. Very dark eyes

30. Eyelashes like a cow's

31. A white tuft, unna between the eyebrows

32. A protuberance on the crown of his head. (Ushinisha) (07/Pg291)

MUDRAS

The hand position is called Mudra

THE RIGHT HAND MUDRAS

 01. Abhaya Mudra

.       01.Blessing of fearlessness,  protection and loving kindness

        02.The palms facing outward 

        03.The fingers extended upwards 

        04. The arm is slightly bent 

        05. The right hand raised to shoulder height

02. Bhumisparsa Mudra  

        01. Also  called "touching the earth"  or "calling the earth to witness" 

        02. Symbolizes the Buddha’s  victory over Mara 

        03. The right arm hangs down over the right knee 

        04. The hand with the palm turned inward 

        05. All the fingers extended downward with the finger touching the lotus throne 

        06. The left hand lies on the lap with palm upward.

03.Varada Mudra   

        01. Sing of charity, compassion 

        02. The arm is extended all way down 

        03. With palm facing outwards 

04.Vitarka Mudra   

     01. Also called Vyakhyanna 

     02. Half of the Dhammacakkra Mudra

     03. Often used when explaining the Buddha’s teachings.

     04. Sign of Intellectual argument, discussion 

     05. The tips of thumb and index finger touched forming a circle 

     06. All the other fingers are extended upwards 

BOTH HANDS MUDRAS 

01.   Dhyani Mudra 

         01. Also called Samadhi Mudra 

         02. Sign of Meditation 

         03. The most popular Mudra 

         04. Both hands are placed on the lap 

         05. Right hand on left with fingers fully stretched 

         06. The palms facing upwards.

02.   Dhammachakkra Mudra   

        01. Sign of Teaching 

        02. Turning the Wheel of Law 

        03. The thumbs and index fingers of each hand form circles 

        04. Covering the right facing outward 

        05. Both hands are held against the chest 

        06. The left hand facing inward 

LEG POSITION

01. Indian Style

   The cross-legged position. 

02. European Style

   The two legs hanging position

BUDDHA VS TIRTHANKARAS

Images of Tirthankaras 

All Tirthankaras

   01.Nude

   02.Three Tier umbrellas over the head

   03.Symbols on the pedestal

   04.Two standing chamara bearer 

Snake over the head of the Tirthankaras

   01.7th Tirthankara - Suparshvanath

   02. 23rd Tirthankara - Parsvanatha

BUDDHISIM VS HINDUISM

A few people think that practice of image worship started from vedic time. However consensus of opinion is that it originated as a Buddhist practice. (01/Pg29)  (02/Pg10).  The worship of Bramini images started from Gupta period (02/Pg10).

The worship was primarily centred around the open air fire (Yajana Kunda). Moreover 'the Hindu gods are image less. Therefore in those period, not interested to introduce the image of the gods. (05/Pg 23). Following the Buddhist practice of worship, first they worshipped the symbols thereafter images.  

Symbol worship of Hindu

Spear for Lord Murugan, Trishul (It is long and has three sharp edges) for Lord Shiva and Chakra for Lord Vishnu (05/Pg 21)

Images

To show that the Hindu gods beyond the human beings, that images are not used to show as a human body growth.  (05/Pg23). The image are also with animal face (01. Ganeshan -> Elephant 02. Hanuman -> Monkey 03. Narashaminan -> Lion 04. Varaha -> Boar ) multiple heads and multiple hands 

Multiple Hands

Image of the Buddha and the image of the Tirthankara have only two hands. But their small goddess (Bodhisattva in Buddhism) have either four or eight hands. For example in Buddhism Avalokiteshvara, Tara in Jainism Inthiran, Jwalamalini 

But the inverse system can be seen in the Saivam and the Vainavam. Lord Shiva image and Lord Vishnu image have either four or eight hands, but their small goddess are taught with only two hands. Whenever primary importance is given to Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu either four or eight hands are taught to those images but their small goddess only two hands are taught. Whenever primary importance is given to their small goddess either four or eight hands are taught to those small goddess. 

Reference Books

01. Elangaiil kalai valarchi - (Tamil) by Kanthaiya Navaraththinam

02. Tirupathi Balaji was a Buddhist Shrine by K.Jamandas

03. Early Buddhist Art and the theory of Aniconism by S.L.Huntington- Art Journal

04. History of Buddhist Art (Tamil) by Dr.G.Sethuraman

05. Nun Kalaikal (Fine Arts) (Tamil) by Mailai Srini Venkataswamy

06. Tamilar Valartha Alagu kalaikal (Beautiful Arts developed by Tamil People) (Tamil) by Mailai Srini Venkataswamy 

07. Legacy of the Buddha by Sanghamitra Sharma 

08. The hair and the Usnisa on the head of the Buddha and the Jinars by Chanda, Ramaprasad 
09. Bouththamum kalaikalum (Buddhisim and Arts) (Tamil) by Dr.Kulaththuraan