| The statues and figurines of Buddha we | | | | as the disciples, angles and gods bade |
| see all around us are the statues of | | | | farewell to never returner Shakyamuni |
| Shakyamuni Siddhartha Gautama the | | | | Buddha. Medicine Buddha statue |
| "Buddha" who was born in Kapilavastu, an | | | | symbolizes the belief that Buddha parted |
| ancient province of Nepal, as the son of | | | | knowledge on medicine along with |
| king Suddhodana and Queen Maya Devi. The | | | | spiritual guidance. |
| Queen had few auspicious dreams before | | | | The Mudras or postures of Hands of the |
| the lord entered her womb from the | | | | Shakyamuni Buddha figures are either in |
| Tushita heaven. | | | | abhaya (Fearlessness), Dhyana |
| As Prince Siddhartha Gautama came to the | | | | (meditation), Dharmachakra Parivartana |
| age 28 he renounced the kingdom and | | | | (turning of the wheel of Dharma or |
| lived the life of a mendicant. He sought | | | | doctrine or religion) and Bhumisparsa |
| and attained enlightenment in six years | | | | (calling the earth goddess to witness |
| under a pipala tree and became a Buddha, | | | | the touching of the earth by the right |
| in Bodhgaya. After enlightenment he | | | | hand) |
| uttered this stanza: | | | | Buddha statues are hand made and thus |
| "Through many births I have passed the | | | | they are artisan's labour of Love, or a |
| builder of the house of pain is gone and | | | | loving heart and moving hands giving |
| I am free from any more births" | | | | them shapes in definite postures. The |
| Shakyamuni Buddha preached dharma | | | | earliest representations of Buddha were |
| through out his life and the light of | | | | mounds erected on the relics of Buddha, |
| the world had gone out and lord passed | | | | also known as "Stupa". The external |
| away into Nirvana at an old age of over | | | | decorations on the stupas display the |
| 80. | | | | entire life of the Buddha from leaving |
| Talking of Buddha statues & figurines, | | | | home to enlightenment and to |
| the statues of Buddha are found in a | | | | Mahaparinirvana. |
| wide variety of poses, the most common | | | | The largest and tallest Buddha statues |
| of all the type is the sitting Buddha | | | | were found in Afghanistan which were |
| statue in a lotus position. The posture | | | | colossal in size and have been much |
| displays inner and outer balance and | | | | recently destroyed by the Taliban's. The |
| tranquillity. In meditating Buddha | | | | Statues of Buddha in Nepal are generally |
| statues the posture of the hand or the | | | | made out of gold, granite, bronze, |
| mudra, have the fingers of the right | | | | copper, brass, resin, silver, ceramic, |
| hand resting lightly on the left as they | | | | wood, etc. And, they are put on sale in |
| lay in the enlightened one's lap and | | | | a fine work of display in Thamel and |
| legs are crossed in a Lotus position. | | | | Durbar Square in the ancient city of |
| Many Buddha statues sit on a pedestal in | | | | Kathmandu in Nepal or sold in various |
| a lotus blossom which represents the | | | | online Buddha Statues store like at |
| enlightened being or emptiness. | | | | wholesale or retail. The standing Buddha |
| Another posture is the Abhaya mudra in | | | | statues with flowering robes is also |
| which the right hand is raised and is | | | | common. And Buddha heads and hands are |
| the gesture of dispelling fear. Statues | | | | also found for sale. |
| calling the earth to bear witness are | | | | All these meanings behind the Buddha |
| represented by postures where the right | | | | statues bring forth the memories of the |
| hand is touching the earth below, which | | | | enlightened master who once walked upon |
| displays total faith. And, finally the | | | | this earth 2500 years ago. In other |
| reclining Buddha statue represents | | | | words they are reminiscences of the |
| Buddha's passage into death or Nirvana, | | | | "Grand Master". |