Buddharupas and the real Buddha
Buddharupas and the real Buddha
Was the historical Buddha's appearance identical to how the statues represent him? Did he really have a bump on his head and elongated ears? Just curious.
Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
My knowledge about this is a bit patchy so I could be wrong but the bump on his head and the elongated ears are supposed to represent wisdom, knowledge etc
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
The 'bump' as you are calling it, is an asetic knot, the Buddha is always represented with hair and if you have lived in the forest for some time without a way to cut your hair it is easier to keep it in the knot as is stll the custom with some ascetics in india with long hair, although it is probably used to show that he is a samana, as for his ears these reprsent his famiys class, Nobles being able to afford luxury would have very ornate jewlery which would exagerate the piercing after long periods of wearing, which is still seen today with some women who have worn large earings all their life in any culture.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
I have read that all the little bumps or curls of hair all over his head were sculpted there by Greek architects, who came along in the tail of Alexander the Great. They were contracted by temples to make statues, and they put many curls on his head to make the Buddha more familiar to their Adriatic eyes.
There must be a site somewhere saying where all the different features came from. Anyone?
I know that the Fat Buddha or Laughing Buddha isn't Gautama Buddha though, that's Hotei, a monk from China.
There must be a site somewhere saying where all the different features came from. Anyone?
I know that the Fat Buddha or Laughing Buddha isn't Gautama Buddha though, that's Hotei, a monk from China.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
Hi Stefan
Do a search on 'the 32 marks of a great man' at accesstoinsight or via google, and it should present you with a canonical reference which details the 32 physical distinguishing characteristics of a sammasambuddha. I think it is this list which is the basis of Buddharupa design.
All the best
Ben
Do a search on 'the 32 marks of a great man' at accesstoinsight or via google, and it should present you with a canonical reference which details the 32 physical distinguishing characteristics of a sammasambuddha. I think it is this list which is the basis of Buddharupa design.
All the best
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
Hello Ben,
Apart from one or two, the Buddha didn't have all of these marks on his physical body - when you read their description you will see that it would have been an "unusual" sight (to say the least!) if he had had the whole 32. It is what they represent that is important.
32 Marks of a Great Man
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/32marks2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
There were no statues or paintings made for hundreds of years - the Buddha, instead was simply represented by symbols.
"This clip traces something of the history of physical representations of the Buddha at Bodh Gaya, beginning with the earliest representation, the Buddha’s footprints in stone. Although Buddhist scholars are divided over whether the Buddha actually prohibited images of himself being made, they agree that early Buddhist art usually used motifs associated with his life or symbols such as the empty throne, the umbrella, the Bodhi tree and the Wheel of Law. Some scholars see the footprints, or Buddhapada, at Mahabodhi as the exception to the rule. Buddhapada are usually associated with the Wheel of Law and at Mahabodhi the stone footprints are enclosed in a circle."
http://australianscreen.com.au/titles/c ... t-1/clip1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
metta
Chris
Apart from one or two, the Buddha didn't have all of these marks on his physical body - when you read their description you will see that it would have been an "unusual" sight (to say the least!) if he had had the whole 32. It is what they represent that is important.
32 Marks of a Great Man
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/32marks2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
There were no statues or paintings made for hundreds of years - the Buddha, instead was simply represented by symbols.
"This clip traces something of the history of physical representations of the Buddha at Bodh Gaya, beginning with the earliest representation, the Buddha’s footprints in stone. Although Buddhist scholars are divided over whether the Buddha actually prohibited images of himself being made, they agree that early Buddhist art usually used motifs associated with his life or symbols such as the empty throne, the umbrella, the Bodhi tree and the Wheel of Law. Some scholars see the footprints, or Buddhapada, at Mahabodhi as the exception to the rule. Buddhapada are usually associated with the Wheel of Law and at Mahabodhi the stone footprints are enclosed in a circle."
http://australianscreen.com.au/titles/c ... t-1/clip1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
Hi Chris
yes, I know. That's why I said that I believed the vast majority of Buddharupas were based on the design in the list of 32 marks of a great man.
kind regards
ben
yes, I know. That's why I said that I believed the vast majority of Buddharupas were based on the design in the list of 32 marks of a great man.
kind regards
ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
This page has information about the Greek that lived in what is today Afghanistan who became Buddhists, as far as I know the first Buddha Rupas were sculped there.James the Giant wrote:I have read that all the little bumps or curls of hair all over his head were sculpted there by Greek architects, who came along in the tail of Alexander the Great. They were contracted by temples to make statues, and they put many curls on his head to make the Buddha more familiar to their Adriatic eyes.
There must be a site somewhere saying where all the different features came from. Anyone?
I know that the Fat Buddha or Laughing Buddha isn't Gautama Buddha though, that's Hotei, a monk from China.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhist_art
With Metta
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Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
The statues seem to be the result of Greek influence and didn't appear until centuries after Buddha's death. Also, what Ben and Cooran said is correct.
Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
pssst! Individual .... I'm Chris in this town.Also, what Ben and Cooran said is correct.
metta
C.
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
-
- Posts: 1970
- Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:19 am
Re: Buddharupas and the real Buddha
Oops!Chris wrote:pssst! Individual .... I'm Chris in this town.Also, what Ben and Cooran said is correct.
metta
C.
By Cooran, I meant Chris!