The Buddha immersed in meditation is one of the most beautiful expressions of supreme wisdom and its serenity in art. This copper statue from Nepal represents the majesty of the meditating Buddha, with marvelous iconography and the natural luster of copper. Shakyamuni- the ascetic of the Shakya clan, Buddha sits on a lotus throne or Padmasana, symbolic of the bloom of wisdom, a motif also repeated in the halo behind Buddha’s head.
The lotus is placed on a platform, carried by two roaring figures who remind one of Yamantaka, the annihilator of death. Adorned by his characteristic features, Buddha sits in the Bhumi-sparsha mudra or Earth-touching gesture symbolizing the oceanic stillness of a mind brimming with wisdom.
Shakyamuni Buddha is surrounded by an ornate aureole, made of celestial creatures who witness the prowess of the lion of the Shakya clan or Shakya-simha. On the lowest levels of the aureole are elephants, the representative of royalty and wisdom, carrying lions on their backs, who hold lotus pedestals on which horse-riding figures stand, followed by Makara (a mythical creature in Hinduism and Buddhism), Naaga-kanya or serpent maidens with gems, and Garuda on the top.
The inner section of the aureole is adorned with conch or Shankha motifs, symbolizing eternity and a fearless declaration of Dhamma, an act closely knit with the image of Buddha in Bhumisparsha, who touched the Earth, calling her to bear witness to his journey to Enlightenment, as a bold yet gentle declaration of his Buddhahood.
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