The Buddha’s images in ‘vitarka’ or ‘vyakhyana-mudra’ illustrate two contexts of his life : one, the ‘dharma-chakra-pravartana’ – setting the wheel of Law in motion or the first sermon that he delivered at Sarnath to his five prior colleagues after he attained Enlightenment, and the other, when he traveled across the subcontinent to teach, perceived in the tradition as Buddha, the universal teacher.
However, while in ‘dharma-chakra-pravartana-mudra’ he has been represented as elaborating his message with the gesture of both hands, not one, Buddha, the universal teacher is usually a standing figure.
Similarly, the Buddha’s images engaged in penance or meditation as Sakya Muni, the pre-Enlightenment stage, are not only in ‘padmasana’ but also have both hands placed on his lap with palms held upwards. Obviously, this image of the Buddha represents neither of these aspects of the Buddha’s life in full.
In the image, the Buddha’s right hand is held in ‘abhaya’, though strangely, despite that ‘abhaya’ is so much significant in Buddhism, an image of Buddha devoted entirely to manifesting ‘abhaya’ is rarely seen. In the Buddhist tradition ‘abhaya’ is essentially the result of right understanding, and right understanding is attained by meditation or introspection, hence their inter-dependence is inevitable. And, this is what defines the Buddhist perception of ‘abhaya’, and the same manifests in this image of the Great Master. The hand raised in ‘abhaya’ also leads the mind to right understanding which is obtained by meditation, the basic form of the image.
How to keep a Brass statue well-maintained?
Brass statues are known and appreciated for their exquisite beauty and luster. The brilliant bright gold appearance of Brass makes it appropriate for casting aesthetic statues and sculptures. Brass is a metal alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc. This chemical composition makes brass a highly durable and corrosion-resistant material. Due to these properties, Brass statues and sculptures can be kept both indoors as well as outdoors. They also last for many decades without losing all their natural shine.
Brass statues can withstand even harsh weather conditions very well due to their corrosion-resistance properties. However, maintaining the luster and natural beauty of brass statues is essential if you want to prolong their life and appearance.
In case you have a colored brass statue, you may apply mustard oil using a soft brush or clean cloth on the brass portion while for the colored portion of the statue, you may use coconut oil with a cotton cloth.
Brass idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are especially known for their intricate and detailed work of art. Nepalese sculptures are famous for small brass idols portraying Buddhist deities. These sculptures are beautified with gold gilding and inlay of precious or semi-precious stones. Religious brass statues can be kept at home altars. You can keep a decorative brass statue in your garden or roof to embellish the area and fill it with divinity.
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