NEPALESE BUDDHA IDOLS

As per printed sources, Buddhism came to Nepal during the lifetime of the enlightened Buddha, and the Buddha might have himself visited Kathmandu valley. A Nepalese narrative expresses that during his visit to Nepal, the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka likewise went through Kathmandu valley.

During the next hundreds of years, a few Great Buddhist Masters visited Kathmandu valley and added religion's development and dissemination, like Vasubandhu, Santarakshita, Padmasambhava, Atisha Dipamkara Srijnana, and Milarepa. These days, there are three sorts of Buddhism in Nepal: Theravada, Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, and Newar Vajrayana Buddhism. 

Various forms of Buddhist statues available in Nepal 

1. Shakyamuni Buddha:

Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist religion brought to India the essence of Buddhism and taught it to his devotees. Brought into the world as the crown ruler of the incomparable Shakya Kingdom, the youthful Siddhartha Gautama was prepared to be a lord as per the desires of his regal dad. When he was around 29 years of age, he learned of the suffering experienced in life by several individuals.

He left his castle life and surrendered his fine clothing and adornments to track down the reasons for this anguish and the resources to defeat it. After around six years of study, and profound reflection he, at last, understood his objective. He had turned into an enlightened one (a Buddha). His sculpture shows the moment of Lord Buddha's enlightenment at a spot called Bodh Gaya in India, which has turned into the most blessed site visited by Buddhist explorers from around the world.

Portrayals of the Buddha have a few physical qualities that assist us in recognizing him. He is situated in the lotus meditation position— legs crossed with the soles up — his back straight, He wears a simple priest's robe that covers his left shoulder and arm. At the highest point of his head is a bulge that represents his otherworldly insight. 

2. Bhumisparsha Buddha:

In Buddha sculptures with the Bhumisparsha mudra, the Buddha, mostly, the revered Shakyamuni Buddha is seen sitting with his right hand over the right knee reaching toward the ground with the palm turned inwards while remaining in touch with the Lotus throne. Meanwhile, the left hand should be visible with the palm turned upright on his lap. The gesture addresses the Buddha's moment of enlightenment as he claims the earth as the observer of his edification.

The Bhumisparsha mudra additionally implies the association of capable means or Upaya which is addressed by the right hand contacting the earth, and astuteness or Prajna, which is addressed by the left hand with its palm facing upwards on the lap while he is in meditation. As the story goes, the earth being the observer of the Buddha's enlightenment, the Bhumisparshamudra portrays the Buddha's firm conviction and exertion while chasing the way of enlightenment.

3. Amitabha Buddha:

The savior, Amitabha Buddha was never as well-known in Tibet and Nepal as he was in East Asia, however, he is profoundly viewed in those nations as one of the five "self-conceived" buddhas (Dhyani-buddhas) who have existed forever. As per this idea, he showed himself as the revered Buddha Gotama and as the bodhisattva ("buddha-to-be") Avalokiteshvara.

His complexion is red, his stance one of contemplation (dhyana-mudra), the begging bowl as his symbol, the peacock his mount, his partner Pandara, his family Raga, his component water, his holy syllable "ba," or "ah," his skandha (component of existence) sanjna, the west his direction, and his area,  the mouth in the human body.

4. Medicine Buddha:

Bhaiṣajyaguru is found in a Mahayana text called the Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍuryaprabharaja Sutra, or the Medicine Buddha Sutra. Bhaiṣajyaguru is the Medicine Buddha or Medicine King. He is worshiped in many Mahayana Buddhism in view of his healing powers, both physical and otherworldly. He is said to rule over an unadulterated land called Vaiduryanirbhasa.

5. Maitreya Buddha: 

Maitreya, in Buddhist custom, is the future Buddha, as of now a bodhisattva living in the Tushita paradise, who will come down to earth to teach the dharma when the lessons of Gautama Buddha have totally disappeared from the minds of people.

FAQs

Q1. Why was Buddha also known as Shakyamuni?

The word Shakyamuni implies Shakyas' sages, the name of Buddha's faction, which governed the Republic of Kapilavastu.

Q2. What does the term “Amitabha” mean?

Amitabha, in Sanskrit, means Endless Light, additionally called Amitayus meaning Infinite Life. To the Nepalese, Buddha does not just mean the Shakyamuni, who as they say is the Buddha of our historical period. A Buddha is as human as divine, as male as female; He is a being that has awakened from ignorance and expanded infinitely the power of His compassion over evil.

In this light, He is the very picture of what could most aptly be expressed as evolutionary perfection. Buddhahood is beyond suffering and death, and is characterised by supreme wisdom and compassion. This is the devotional experience that the Nepalese seek to infuse into their art and sculpture revolving around the Buddha, and it is what we look for during the arduous curating that went into this collection.

They say that the perfect Buddha sculpture has a handful of giveaways. Each of the sculptures in this subsection are replete with these signs, which include long and gracious limbs, transcendental eyes, the conch-like neck, and the mouth formed in superlative proportion. Handpicked from little-known Nepalese artisans, these sculptures are more than about adding aesthetic value to the life of the patron; these are meditative tools designed to bring out the spiritual side of you.

A variety of mudras are to be found in this category of Nepalese-made Buddha sculptures - the bhumisparsha mudra, the dharmachakra-pravartana mudra, the abhaya mudra, and the dhyana mudra. The patron should choose the one that most deeply resonates with them.

Q3 - Who is the female Buddha?

In Mahayana Buddhism, Guanyin or Kwan Yin is revered as the female Buddha who is the embodiment of great compassion and is therefore known as the “Goddess of Mercy and Compassion”. She is highly venerated and immensely popular among Chinese Buddhists and is seen as a source of unconditional love. It is believed that her main purpose is to relieve all living beings from the sufferings of this material world.

The word Guanyin refers to “the one who hears the sounds or cries of the sentient beings”. She looks at all the people of this world with eyes of compassion and perceives their lamentations and sufferings, and comes to the rescue of those who sincerely call upon her name. Her statues are widely depicted in Buddhist artistry works and are presented in famous museums around the world.

Q4. Can we keep a Buddha statue in the bedroom?

Keeping a Buddha statue at home is believed to bring peace and prosperity. But you must also know the right place to keep it. As per Vastu guidelines, the ideal and preferred place to keep the Buddha statue is the living room facing the main entrance of the house. You should never keep it in the bedroom or on the floor.

Q5. Why are Buddha’s eyes closed?

Most of the statues of Buddha describe his eyes as either halfway closed or fully closed. This represents him in focused concentration i.e. absorbed in deep meditation. This meditative pose teaches and reminds people to be calm and peaceful in every situation and to always be focused on the higher purpose. Keeping the Meditation Buddha statue at home helps to bring in a serene environment.