ASIAN ART : BUDDHISM

Some people regard Buddhism as a religion, some a set of spiritual teachings and practices, while still others consider Buddhism a collection of inspired philosophies. Buddhism's focus is the personal path toward spiritual development through a deeper insight into life's true nature. There is no belief in a personal God; rather Buddhism centres around the timeless importance of teaching; The Dharma. The path to enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, meditation and wisdom.

The two main Buddhist sects are Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada Buddhism is strongest in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma, while Mahayana Buddhism is strongest in Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Mongolia. Buddhism is not a single group but a collection of traditions: Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism are all forms of Mahayana Buddhism.

Theravada and Mahayana are both rooted in the basic teachings of the historical Buddha. Both emphasize the individual search for liberation from the cycle of Samsara (birth, death, rebirth) but methods and practices differ widely across the entire spectrum of Buddhist belief.

 

SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA: Height -27.5 cms

 

Siddartha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical founder of Buddhism, lived in India in the 6th century B.C.

Siddhartha Gautama was born to Queen Maya and King of the Shakya clan at Lumbini in the Himalayan foothills. Upon his birth, it was prophesied that Siddharta would become a great King or a great sage. After hearing the prophecy, King Suddhodana tired to shield his son from the outside world's pain and suffering. However one day, when Siddhartha saw a sick man, a old man, a corpse and a monk, he was moved to reject the luxurious palace life for a humble journey in the search of truth.

Siddhartha studied under hermit teachers, practiced severe austerities in his search for enlightenment. In time, Siddhartha discovered what the Buddhists call the middle way - a path of moderation, away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self- mortification.

At the age of 35, after 49 days of meditation, under a Bodhi tree, he attained enlightenment. Gautama, from then on was known as the Buddha or " The Awakened One " or "The Enlightened one" . In Buddhism, he is referred to as Shakyamuni Buddha or the " The Awakened One of the Shakya Clan ".

 

AMITABHA BUDDHA : Height - 15.5 cms

 

Amitabha is a Celestial buddha whose doctrine is believed to have developed during the 1st and the 2nd centuries A.D. The name Amitabha means " he who possesses light, whose life is boundless and whose splendor is infinite" .

According to the sutras, In very ancient times Amitabha was a monk named Dharamkara. Dharamkara was a former king, who gave up his throne upon learning of Buddhist teachings. He resolved to become a Buddha and through his efforts, Amitabha created the " Pure Land " called Sukhavati (Sanskrit; possessing happiness). By the power of his vows, Amitabha made it possible for all who call upon him to be reborn into this pure land. Thereafter, those who follow Amitabha's dharma become bodhisattvas and buddhas - the ultimate goal of the Mahayana Buddhism. From Sukhavati these same bodhisattvas and buddhas return to our world to guide others toward enlightenment.

In Tibetan Buddhism, Amitabha is considered one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas representing five wisdom qualities of the Buddha. Amitabha is associated with the westerly direction and also the skandha, the aggregate of recognition and deep awareness of individuals . His main two disciples are Bodhisattvas Vajrapani and Avalokiteshvara.

Amitabha is especially invoked in practices relating to longevity and preventing untimely death. Amitabha is generally depicted as sitting in a meditative pose, with a bowl of nector resting in his hands, with his legs locked in vajra posture.

 

AVLOKITESHVARA : Height - 25.5 cms

 

Avalokitesvara, the most loved of all Buddhist deities, is the bodhisattva of infinite compassion and mercy. He is also referred to as; Padmapani - Holder of the Lotus, Lokesvara - Lord of the World or Protector of Tibet. Avalokitesvara vowed to listen to the prayers of all human beings in difficulty and to postpone his own Buddhahood until he has assisted every one on earth ton achieve nirvana.

The most popular mantra relating to Avalokiteshvara is, "Om Mani Padme Hum".

Some scholars have suggested, Avalokiteshvara along with many other supernatural beings in Buddhism, was a borrowing or absorption from the Hindu deities such as Shiva or Vishnu.

 

GREEN TARA : Height - 24.5 cms

 

Tara, the female aspect of Avalokiteshvara is the Goddess of Compassion and Mother of Mercy. She is also known as a saviour, as a heavenly deity who hears cries of beings, experiencing misery in samsara; a world of continuous rebirth, death and suffereing. As the female aspect of the universe, she gives birth to warmth compassion and relief from bad karma as experienced by ordinary beings in cyclic existence. She engenders, nourishes, smiles at the vitality of creation and has sympathy for all beings as a mother does for her children.

As a Green Tara, she is the Buddha of enlightened activity and offers protection from all the unfortunate circumstances one can enounter with the samsaric world. In Tibetan buddhism, she has 21 major forms, each tied to a certain color and energy. Each form offers some feminine attribute of ultimate benefit to the spiritual aspirant who asks for her assistance.

The Tara figure originated not in Buddhism but in Hinduism where, as Tara devi, she is one of the female goddessess along with Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Parvati and Shakti. It was in the 6th century that Tara was adopted into the Buddhist pantheon as an important bodhisattva figure and considered as 'Mother of Perfect Wisdom' or 'Mother of the Buddhas'. Around the 7th century, Tara was incorporated in Tibetan Buddhism and became an object of tantric worship.

 

GUAN YIN PU SA ( Kaun Yin, Marattiales ) : Height - 59.5 cms

Guan Yin Pu Sa (Kuan Yin) is the Chinese name for Bodhisattva of Compassion, or Avlokitesvara. Guan Yan is a shortened name from Guan Shi Yin, which means to 'Observe the Sounds of The World'. Guan Yin attained enlightenment by means of faculty and hearing. She can also appear in countless forms to help the people of Mundane world. Pu Sa means bodhisattva.

During China's Northen Qi period of the 6th century, the sculptures of Buddhist deities were delicate, elegant and life like. They were depicted with freer postures and flowing natural lines as shown in their form and clothes.

Adorned on her head-dress with a small Amitabha Buddha. Guan Yin Pu Sa holds a Vitarka Mudra, a gesture of discussion and transmission of Buddhist teaching. She is framed by a host of dakinis i.e. female guardians, with the Heart Sutra engraved in the back drop. The whole sculpture depicts a colourful and ethereal Buddhist world.

 

GANESHA : Height - 16 cms

Ganesha is worshipped as the Lord of New Beginnings and the Lord of Obstacles, both material and spiritual. He can place obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked and can remove blockages just as easily. He is also the God of intellect and wisdom, and a patron of arts and sciences. Therefore Ganesha is always honored by the Hindus before the start of any ritual or ceremony.

There are many myths surrounding Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, about how he got his elephant head. The most popular story is that while bathing Parvati set her son Ganesha, the task of guarding the entrance to her bath. When Shiva returned after seven years of meditation, he was enraged to find a stranger denying him access and struck off the boy's head. Parvati broke down in grief and to soothe her Shiva sent his soldiers to fetch the head of any new born. A new born elephant calf was found and Shiva attached the elephants severed head to the boy's body.

Once he had restored his son's life, Shiva bestowed on Ganesha a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.