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| Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue at Cintamanicakra Avalokitesvara Hall, Singapore |
My earlier post Buddha at Home has become so popular that it has prompted me to do another post on decorating with Buddha statues.Buddha is associated with peace,tranquility, harmony, wisdom and balance.Do you know that Buddha statues are found in sitting, dancing, standing or reclining postures and each has a special significance?
Also referred to as an asana, there are over 100 poses illustrating the life of the Buddha. And each posture has a specific hand gesture, called a mudra. In that sense, Buddhism and Hinduism share a common Indian heritage as mudras of Hindu Gods and Goddesses also have significant meanings.
The five most common mudras are the Abhaya Mudra or no-fear mudra (right hand raised and palm facing out, with the left hand down toward the hips and also facing out) an assurance of safety or protection, peace, benevolence and dispelling of fear; the Bhumisparsha mudra (all five fingers of the right hand reaching to touch the ground) symbolizing the enlightenment of the Buddha under the Bodhi tree and represents the central moment in the life of Buddha when he preached his first sermon after his Enlightenment; the Dhyana mudra (one or both hands in the lap) symbolizing meditating; the Dharmachakra mudra (the thumb and index finger of both hands touch at their tips to form a circle) symbolizing the Wheel of Dharma and the Varada mudra (making a fist with the right hand, index extending upward, and the left hand also making a fist and enclosing the index) signifies offering, welcome, charity, giving, compassion and sincerity.
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| Reclining Buddha |
The reclining Buddha signifies tranquility and absolute detachment from the desires of the world, a state obtained on the attainment of Nirvana. This serene and composed posture signifies his last hours before leaving this world and also represents complete peace and detachment from the worldly things.
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| Buddha on side table: femalenetwork.com |
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| Lladro: Wisdom of Buddha |
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| Buddha in bedroom: styleathome |
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| Courtesy: examiner.com |
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| Buddha in bathroom: blueporch.com |
So bring a buddha statue home. Whatever is your decor style, the benevolent Buddha will look at home in any space. Be it an oversized piece or an intricately carved small one, Buddha statues will bring in peace, happiness and wisdom into your home. Decorate your coffee table, side table, consoles, vignettes, garden, foyer, study-- wherever you want. There is a Buddha statue waiting to grace your home right now.
Buddha is venerated in many countries, so follow some rules while decorating:
- Buddha statues should be placed on a raised platform so that it does not come contact with your feet and should be set in a respectful manner.
- Do not associate the Buddha statue with anything unclean. If you are looking to place a Buddha statue in the garden, find a clean and beautiful place to rest it.
- Buddha should not be placed under any other tree other than the Bodhi tree. That’s where Gautama Buddha had attained Nirvana or enlightenment.
- If broken or damaged, do not throw off your Buddha statue carelessly; leave it under a Bodhi tree.
