The Buddha Image

The Buddha Image

The Buddha’s images we are familiar with do not represent the historic prince Siddhartha who after his enlightenment became known as Gautama Buddha. They are symbolic representation of the great teacher.

At the age of 29, legend says, Siddhartha left his expansive palace for the first time. Walking through the town with his charioteer, Channa he saw an old man, a sick man, a corpse being carried to the cremation ground and a monk under a tree in meditation. He asked Channa to explain what was wrong with the people he had seen and who was only healthy man in saffron color robes. The charioteer truthfully explained the sights. The price was traumatized and right away decided to follow the way of the monk.

As the price he had long hair, was decked with ornaments, and wore silk garments studded with gems. To ready himself for the renunciation and leave his princely life he cut-off his hair, removed all his ornaments, rich garments and comfortable footwear behind. He left for the forest to lead the life of a monk.

In these images the curls on his head refer to him cutting off his hair; elongated earlobes remind the viewer of the gold jewelry he wore, and the chignon like hair style signifies the auxiliary brain of the Enlightened One. He wears garb of a monk and is mostly depicted bare-footed.

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