| Siddhartha Gautama was the founder of Buddhism | | | | certain characteristics and symbolic elements that you |
| and is the figure represented by the Buddha statue. He | | | | will find at least one of in every Buddha statue.o If the |
| was an Indian prince who lived from 563 to 483 B.C. | | | | hands are resting in the lap this represents meditation.o |
| Buddhism is a religious philosophy that, unlike many | | | | The hands crossing over the chest are a symbol of |
| other traditional religions does not believe in a personal | | | | Dharma-or a state of "being."o In the earliest Buddha |
| God that punishes our wrong-doings and rewards our | | | | statue, the figure has both hands raised with the ring |
| good deeds individually. It was originally begun as an | | | | finger on the left hand touching the thumb and the |
| atheistic philosophy. It is based on the Noble Eightfold | | | | index finger on the right hand is touching the thumb to |
| path and the Four Truths. The Buddha statue | | | | make a circle with the three other fingers held aright. It |
| represents the "Enlightened One." The Four Noble | | | | is not certain what this symbolizes. |
| Truths are: that suffering is part of life, craving is what | | | | Buddhism Exists In Three Forms Today |
| causes suffering, the suffering stops when the craving | | | | The first is Mahayana, which reveres Buddha as a |
| stops, and that the only way to conquer the cravings | | | | God like figure and still uses the Buddha statue to |
| and suffering is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. | | | | represent him. It is called "the Greater Vehicle" and is |
| The Noble Eightfold Path Is: | | | | the most practiced form of Buddhism in the world |
| Right views, right aspiration, right speech, right conduct, | | | | today. The second is practiced by just over a third of |
| right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right | | | | the Buddhists in the world and is called Theravada, or |
| contemplation. As the Enlightened One the Buddha | | | | the "Doctrine of the Elders." It is atheistic in nature and |
| statue represents other values as well. The individual is | | | | philosophy but still reveres the Buddha statue. |
| not recognized in Buddhism. All that happens to | | | | Vajrayana is the least common type of Buddhism and |
| individuals is based on an impersonal moral "karma." | | | | uses the occult and shamanism. It is practiced by just 6 |
| Once an individual follows all of the steps on the Noble | | | | percent of the Buddhists. |
| Eightfold path they reach an enlightened pure | | | | Many people looking on the Buddha statue find it a |
| non-existent state called "nirvana." | | | | source of happiness and serenity. It is a symbol of the |
| The First Statue | | | | end of suffering and true peace. The Buddhist |
| It is believed that the first Buddha statue was not | | | | philosophy that we must strive for perfection and |
| created until four or five hundred years after the death | | | | control over our personal cravings to work for the |
| of Buddha out of respect. Therefore, the statues are | | | | good of all is not a bad philosophy. If society as a |
| not an exact replication of the person and there is no | | | | whole would adopt at least some of these concepts |
| "right way" to represent him. The artist had artistic | | | | there would be much more peace and tolerance in the |
| freedom of expression in that area. But, there are | | | | world-we could begin to come to a state of nirvana. |