Seated Buddha

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About the Item

Buddha seated in Padmasana (lotus position).
History:
The original Buddha, Sakyamuni Gautama, or Gautama Siddhartha, was born in India in the 5th-6th century B.C. He was born into a noble family, but left this life to lead the life of a wandering ascetic and thinker. Reflecting on the human condition one night while sitting under a Bodi tree, he awoke to find he had realized nirvana, the state of absolute beatitude, and would not be reborn again. He spent the rest of his life as a preacher, his teachings contained in a series of documents called the Sutras.

As time passed, Buddhism adapted to new cultures. At the beginning of the first century A.D. Buddhist doctrine underwent a change from a simple philosophy of life into a set of religious doctrines with the Buddha transformed into a deity on the same level as Hindu gods. It is thought, however, the Buddha never projected himself as a divine entity or master, demanding from his devotees only personal attainment through meditation and reflection, the object being to liberate oneself from the cycle of rebirths to reach nirvana.

Buddhist missionaries brought their doctrines very early to Asian countries. Ultimately, the effigies representing the Buddha assumed a local character, and the faces of the deities became influenced by local ethnic types and the aesthetic canons of the regions. In China, the heads of the Buddhas shortened, the nose straightened, and the “attitudes” became more static.

Most Chinese Buddhas are represented in what is called “the Chinese manner.” This is true of the Buddha presented here. In this depiction, the leg position (known as an asana) is a seated position called “Padmasana,” the lotus position, which is the meditative position. It is impossible to say with certainty the hand position (known as the mudra) because the hands are no longer present. During the Cultural Revolution in China, many religious effigies were destroyed; however, remnants of those statues and incomplete statues still survive. Such is the nature of this piece.

Dimensions:
Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 17 in (43.18 cm)Depth: 13 in (33.02 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Marble
Place of Origin:
China
Date of Manufacture:
19th C.
Condition:
As shown. Missing hands.
Seller Location:
Chicago, IL
Reference Number:
Seller: A0601-0471stDibs: 091217881122