Statue with hands buddha title. classical buddhist sculpture
Buddhism is one of the oldest and most important religions. Below is a list of the tallest, oldest, most impressive and historically significant Buddha statues in the world!
The Leshan Big Buddha is a majestic and awe-inspiring statue, 71 meters high, symbolizing Maitreya, the future Buddha. The statue is carved from a cliff and is located at the junction of three rivers Chinese province Sichuan. This statue was made in the years between 713 and 803 and still attracts tourists. "Big Buddha" is recognized as a monument and listed as an object world heritage UNESCO for Historical and Archaeological Significance.
According to legend, the idea of the "Big Buddha" came to the mind of the Chinese monk Hai Tong, who believed that the Buddha would calm the turbulent flow of the river and protect the ships that go down the river. Some even claim that in order to guarantee funding for the project, the monk gouged out his own eyes to show his devotion to the Buddha.
However, construction still stalled for as much as 7 years due to lack of funding, the project was completed by one of Khai Tong's students. The "Big Buddha" statue at Leshan achieved the goals of Hai Tong: the stone was moved from the cliff and left in the river, and over time, the structure began to contain the strong flow of the river, and because of this, the movement of ships became safer.
There is a monumental statue in the Japanese Shobo-ji temple in the city of Gifu. The idea to build the statue came about in 1790 thanks to Kinpuzen, the 11th head monk of Shobo-ji Temple. He believed that the Buddha could help to avoid starvation and earthquakes, which were common in those regions.
Unfortunately, the statue was not finished during his lifetime, the project was helped to complete by his successor in April 1832. Ginkgo wood, bamboo nets, clay, lacquer, thin gold leaf are the materials used to build the statue.
The Buddha of the Spring Temple, the Vairochana Buddha, is located in Zhaosun Township, Lushan County, China. The monument is located near the national highway number 311. The statue was built between 1997 and 2008. The height of the monument is 128 meters (this also includes 20 meters from the lotus pedestal).
For this reason, it is considered the second tallest statue in the world. Below the sculpture of the Buddha of the Spring Temple is a Buddhist temple. The construction project cost $55 million.
Rawangla Buddha Park is located in the Indian state of Sikkim. The 40-meter high statue is the main attraction of the park, it was constructed between 2006 and 2013. Buddha Park is located on the territory where for many centuries there was a stop for Buddhist pilgrims - the monastery of Rabong Gompa. The 14th Dalai Lama dedicated this statue on March 25, 2013.
Buduruvagala is an ancient Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, which "sheltered" 7 statues back in the 10th century. The largest of them still keeps the remains of the original plastered robe. One can easily guess that the statue was once painted bright orange, thanks to the long stripe left on its body.
The height of the tallest sculpture is 15 meters. Mystery surrounds the whole complex of these sculptures. The same rock from which the statues are carved contains a carving in the form of a flame, which inexplicably becomes wet with oil.
This statue of a standing Buddha is carved from massive limestone. The statue was erected in the 7th century on behalf of Prince Agga Bodhi, the statue, and now its location is Sri Lanka. It was discovered broken into several pieces in 1951, reconstructed and erected again in 1980. At 11 meters tall, the statue is the tallest free-standing ancient statue in Sri Lanka.
The majestic Buddha statue is located in the north of Sri Lanka, next to Kekivara. The height of the sculpture is over 12 meters; it was carved from granite in the 5th century. Now it is like a magnet for tourists. The architecture of Aukan Buddha reflects a mixture of styles from the Amaravati and Ganghara schools of art.
These monuments are standing Buddhas carved out of rock and located in the central valley of Afghanistan, Bamiyan. The smallest statue was built in 507 AD and the largest in 554 AD. In height, two statues reached 35 and 53 meters, respectively. The main parts of the sculptures, the bodies, were carved from sandstone; to complete the details, they had to use plaster mixed with mud and straw.
Unfortunately, the Taliban blew up and destroyed the statues in March 2001 to express the growing international outcry. However, it is possible that the statues will be subject to restoration.
The statue of the Great Buddha is located in the south of the Longshan Mountains in the Chinese province of Jiangsu. This sculpture is one of the largest statues, both in China and around the world. It reaches a height of 88 meters, and its mass is 700 tons. The bronze, high-standing Amitabha or Amita Buddha was constructed at the end of 1996. To the east of the statue is the Palace of Brahma and the Palace of the Five Seals.
Also known as the Big Buddha, the giant bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha is located in Hong Kong, on Lantau Island. The construction was completed in 1993, the statue itself reflects the harmony and unity of man and nature, people and their faith. Tiantan Buddha - cultural object which constantly attracts tourists.
He sits on a lotus on a three-tiered platform, which serves as his altar. One large Buddha is surrounded by six small ones who offer him flowers, ointments, music, fruit, light and incense. All these objects symbolize something of their own in Buddhism, they are called "Six Perfections" or "Six Paramitas". The height of the main statue is 34 meters, weight is more than 250 tons, and it is made of 202 bronze parts.
To reach the statue, visitors need to climb 268 steps. In addition to the statue, tourists can visit the nearby Po Lin Monasteries and the "Buddhist Kingdom of the South", walk along cable car Ngong Ping 360 and go on walking route Lantau. This list of places for acquaintance is not limited.
The colossal Shakyamuni Buddha statue is located near the mountains of Bhutan. The statue was built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the 4th King of Bhutan. More than 100 thousand small Buddhas, made of bronze and covered with gold, were inside the giant statue. The great Buddha Dordenma stands in the middle of the ruins of the once luxurious palace. The idea to erect a giant statue arose in October 2010. However, it was completed only on September 25, 2015. This sculpture is one of the highest in the world, its “height” is 52 meters. For its construction, an amount of 47 million US dollars was needed.
In the video you will not only see with your own eyes the most tall statues Buddhas, but also relax with soothing music.
Hello dear readers.
Today we will talk about the statues of the Great Teacher - Siddhartha Gautama, which are located in Thailand.
Buddhism is the official religion of Thailand. Thais profess the teachings of Theravada - a trend that originated from Siddhartha Gautama himself. There is no concept of God in the truest sense of the word, and numerous Buddha statues in Thailand were erected not for worship, but as a tribute to the Great Teacher and the wisest of the wisest.
How many Buddhas are there in Thailand
The answer is simple - about the same as Buddhist monasteries, and there are a little less than 30,000 of them in this country. Moreover, in some temple complexes there is not one, but several statues of the Enlightened One.
It is customary to single out the most significant, even to some extent pompous structures:
- Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Bangkok);
- Temple of Truth (Pattaya);
- Temple of Hell and Heaven (Bang Saen);
- Temple of the Golden Buddha (Bangkok);
- Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Bangkok);
- Big Buddha Temple (Phuket).
We will consider them with you.
Not in everyone temple complex statues are unique or stand out for some special history, but European tourists are not always interested in the statues themselves. In about 50% of cases, they come here not even to look at the Enlightened One, but to get acquainted with a unique place. Such are the Tiger Monastery and the Temple of Hell and Paradise.
Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Bangkok)
Thais call it the main, most beautiful and largest pearl in the country's temple necklace. This shrine was built on the territory of the royal palace in Bangkok specifically for the statue of the Enlightened One, which is made of jadeite - a type of jade - and decorated with gold.
The relic was accidentally discovered in 1436 in the ruins of one of the pagodas in Chiang Rai. This small figurine, only 45 cm tall, was covered with plaster and clay and at first glance was of no value. She was taken to his chambers by the abbot of one of the monasteries. However, after some time, a piece of the “growth” fell off, revealing an amazingly green color to the monk. Soon pilgrims began to flock to the monastery.
Today, the shrine is well guarded - it is closed with bulletproof glass. Three times a year she is dressed up - events are arranged as solemn ceremonies.
Temple of Truth (Pattaya)
It is considered the largest wooden building in all of Thailand and, perhaps, throughout the world. Erected without a single nail. The main feature is endless construction. The author of the idea is the philanthropist Leku Viriyaphan. The building began to be erected in 1981 and is still under construction. Estimated completion date is 2025.
A fairly large statue of the Enlightened One is carved from wood and worked out to the smallest detail.
The whole building is also decorated with carvings - religious and mythical heroes, deities. This is a real man-made wooden architecture.
Viriyaphan was told that as soon as the building was completed, he would die. Eternal construction is based on the idea of reincarnation.
Buddha at Temple of Hell and Heaven (Bang Saen)
One of the temple complexes near Phuket, 90 km from Bangkok and 40 km from Pattaya, if you move east. Exact location - resort town Bang Saen. Here, visitors can look at the numerous Statues of the Enlightened One (for example, at the very beginning they are met by the Laughing Buddha statue), but they go not only for this, but also in order to study the Thai idea of hell and heaven.
The monastery is located in picturesque place and surrounds the cave, the territory is covered with jungle, because of which the perception of what is happening here is much sharper.
Surprisingly, the place is not on the tourist list, although there is something to see. Masterfully shown are all the circles of Hell, which occupy almost 80% of the total area. It remains to be surprised how sophisticated the mind of the sculptor was - the figures are grotesque, but worked out to the smallest detail.
The attraction is open until 6pm. Free admission. It is better to visit on weekdays - Thais come here on weekends to get a fair shake in case they suddenly want to sin.
Temple of the Golden Buddha (Bangkok)
The statue is made of pure gold and weighs 5 tons. And this is true. But until some time, no one knew about this - the outside of the statue was covered with a thick layer of plaster and looked unattractive.
It has been transported many times. Last sent to storage (1957). During transportation, it rained, to top it all off, the statue also fell. This is where the most interesting thing happened - one of the monks noticed a strange sheen, which is in no way characteristic of gypsum. So the Thais got the golden Buddha.
Experts estimated the age of the statue. She is approximately 700 years old. They poured it with plaster back in the Burmese war. Since everyone who knew about it died, for a long time such a precious relic was not known to anyone.
Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Bangkok)
The oldest in Bangkok. There are many sculptures of the enlightened one of various shapes and sizes, including the largest in Thailand. The complex has been restored several times, most recently in the 20th century. Opened to the public in 1982.
The length of the Reclining Buddha is about 46 meters, the height is 15 meters. The statue is covered with gold, and the eyes and soles are mother-of-pearl.
In the temple complex, you can get a high-quality Thai massage and study yoga poses in every detail - each statue of the Enlightened One is made in one of them.
Big Buddha Temple (Phuket)
The shrine is located on Nakkered Hill in Phuket. Its height is 45 meters. It is made of white marble (Burmese) At its foot, a multi-level temple complex has been built since 2001:
- Level 1 - a museum, a souvenir shop, a large gong and monks on a pedestal (alive, they perform a ritual, after which they hang an amulet on their hand);
- Level 2 - statues of royalty;
- Level 3 - the statue of the Big Buddha and its 12-meter copper copy.
There are great views from the top of the mountain. From here it is good to take panoramic pictures of Chalong Bay, Kata and Karon beaches, Phuket Town. If you come here in the evening, you can see the unprecedented beauty of the sunset.
The road leading to the shrine stretches for 6 km. This distance can be walked or taken by taxi or tuk-tuk.
And one more place...
The largest Buddha statue is located in the town of Ang Thong, which is lost somewhere in the Thai outback. The height of the statue is almost 92 meters. It is one of the ten largest sculptures in the world, one of the five largest Buddhas, is the largest statue of the enlightened in Thailand.
The sculpture is made of reinforced concrete. Built for 18 years. Outside, it was covered with a layer of gilding.
The temple complex includes many buildings and sculptures. At the feet of the Enlightened One, there is a prototype of Hell and Paradise from the island of Phuket, so it is better for people with weak nerves not to look here.
The statues of the Enlightened One have strictly defined poses, corresponding todays of the week. For example, lying down is Tuesday, sitting with his hands on his knees is Wednesday, and in the lotus position is Thursday.
Conclusion
Dear readers, when going to Thailand, make a list of places that you definitely want to visit. And let there be Buddha statues among them - not all, at least a couple. It is not necessary to worship them, but in such places there is an amazing energy, and you can get very unusual experiences there.
Sculpture
Fine art in the form of sculptural works has become widespread in Tibetan Buddhism. Even in India, the first images of the Buddha were precisely the creations of sculptors, since it was they who, even before the murals and frescoes of Ajanta, began to decorate stupas from Sanchi to Borobudur with stucco reliefs reflecting scenes from the life of the Buddha.
The tradition of creating statues comes from the Buddha himself. He recommended making them in order to honor the living Buddha in the form of a man, as well as for the ritual of sacrifice to the Buddha, who had gone to Nirvana. The first statues, according to the ancient sutras, were wooden, but later sculptures began to use other materials, including stone.
During the Kushan Bactria, the art of the Gandhara tradition flourished, leaving behind examples of high achievements in the synthesis of Greek and Indian canons. At this time, more affordable and faster production of cult products from clay and alabaster began to develop. They are represented by sculptural works of images of Buddha and bodhisattvas, amazing in depth and expressiveness, in the Central Asian temples of Merv and Karatepe. Entire ensembles of sculptures and monuments were carved out of solid rocks, and especially soft sandstone. These include the giant 60-meter Buddha statues at Bamiyan in Bactria (modern Afghanistan), which stood in carved rock niches until they were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
The Tibetan masters assimilated and adopted the traditions, experience and proportions of their Indian predecessors. If in India and Central Asia Buddhist statues were made mainly of stone or alabaster, then the Tibetans worked mainly with stone. Many compositions carved from stone of various sizes, from 20 cm to several meters, have been preserved.
Works made of metals are most widely used in Tibetan esoteric art. This was facilitated by the achievements of the Tibetans in mining and their high skill in metallurgy. Working with copper, gold, silver and iron is rooted deep in Tibetan history, and cultural ties with surrounding countries made it possible to assimilate new experience. Initially, attempts were made to widely use iron and copper, but starting from the 7th century. the most widely used bronze casting. The manufacture of bronze statues, as well as the attributes of the cult (vajras, bells, ritual daggers, bowls, musical instruments, etc.) became widespread in Tibet. At the same time, along with bronze, various alloys were used, such as the "alloy of the five precious metals", which included iron, copper, silver, gold and lead. Rock crystal, graphite (diamonds) and mercury were present in other alloys. The process consisted of mixing in certain proportions, melting, shaping (carving, casting, etc.) and final rituals.
Since the construction of the first monastery at Samye, the casting of small and huge statues depicting Buddha and yidam has become ubiquitous. For the manufacture of such a statue, a special day was chosen, calculated by astrologers. The master spent certain time in meditation and prayers before going to work. Bronze statues inside were hollow, they were cast in parts and already in place, in the temple, they were made into a single structure. Each statue was consecrated with a special ritual, while placing in its cavity sacred texts dedicated to the depicted object of Refuge. After that, the statue, as a rule, from below, was sealed with a special seal (sacred syllable) and was considered "alive". Even the smallest sculptures were subjected to this procedure, from any material, bronze, wood or clay. The statues at the Temple of Ramoche and the Big Buddha at Zhokkhang near Lhasa were the first such examples.
Together with artistic casting, the manufacture of statues from clay and wood became widespread. According to legend, the famous wooden statue of Buddha "Cangdan Zhu" was made of sandalwood. Of course, it is difficult to imagine such a long preservation, however, it is permissible to assume that this is a copy from an ancient wooden original. The temples, which did not have funds for expensive bronze items, made statues from papier-mâché. Highly artistic masks for tsam were made from the same material.
Initially, from the 10th century, when Buddhism finally took root in Tibet, bronze statues of Buddha and yidams stood on stone or brick pedestals, holding the same bronze attributes in their hands. The statues were made according to all the canons, but they were undressed, not covered with inlays and had nothing but bronze details.
Lama Tsongkhava changed this position. Under him, statues began to be made from precious metals, such as gold and silver, and copper and bronze began to be decorated with intricate inlays of precious and semi-precious stones. The heads of yidams began to be decorated with golden crowns, with yahonts, emeralds, rubies and especially turquoise of various shades inserted into them. Earrings, bracelets and anklets were also made of silver and gold and worn on bronze bodies. The corresponding places of the statues, faces, hair were painted with mineral paints.
Then the bodies of the bronze Buddhas began to be covered with the thinnest layer of forged gold, and later the technique of gold plating began to be used. Natural gold was used for gilding sculptural works. However, sometimes gold was applied to the surface in such a thick layer that it held weakly and fell in small grains. These grains were called "shal-sir" (zhal-gser, "personal gold"), which were highly valued and were used exclusively for gilding icons in painting. At the same time, the figures of Buddhas and Yidams began to dress in brocade and silk clothes.
Over time, in Tibet, not a single temple could do without bronze statues, spreading this type of art to the entire area of Tibetan Buddhism, including outside the country. The central figure of the Buddha and the main characters of the pantheon in any Tibetan temple are always presented in the form of statues or sculpture, be it bronze casting, painted and glazed clay or papier-mâché. This and other facts allowed the Italian Ippolito Desideri, who entered Tibet in the 17th century, to write about the similarities between Catholic and Tibetan temples.
In addition to temple interiors, sculpture has become widespread in the form of figures of lions guarding the gates, or other animals - tigers, garudas, dragons, decorating the portals of almost all large monasteries, as well as in the form of bas-reliefs on stupas and walls.
It should also be noted special kind miniature earthenware, with a front surface in the form of a bas-relief, called in Tibetan "tsa-tsa" (phyag-tsha) and widely used in Tibet. The material for them was clay, where mineral dyes and plant components were added. Mixed with water, it was further stamped with wooden or stone clichés and left to dry in a ventilated room. After that, "tsa-tsa" were painted. Like statues, they were also subjected to a ritual of consecration. As a rule, well-known and especially revered bodhisattvas, yidams, such as Amitayus, Yamantaka, Yama, Vajrapani, Manjushri, Mahakala, Tara, were depicted on the "tsa-tsa", and they took their place in home altars, they were taken with them on the road and considered protective amulets from evil spirits and diseases.
For those who travel to China for the first time, this country, at least, seems to be a kind of kaleidoscope of impressions, which strikes with its contrast of the neighborhood of modernity and ancient history this edge. However, if your a tourist route will pass through the island part of China, namely through Hong Kong, then you will definitely see such a landmark of Lantau Island as the Buddha statue, which is considered the most grandiose among similar monuments to this cult image of a Buddhist deity located in China.
Buddha statue on a lotus flower
First of all, it should be noted that buddha statue located on the island of Lantau, rises above the adjacent territory by about eighty meters. So, in order to get to this monument, it is necessary to overcome a whole cascade of steps, the total number of which is 268, which, according to numerous tourists, is quite problematic to overcome in one breath. However, if you passed this test with dignity, then you will have a great opportunity to appreciate all the greatness of this grandiose monument. Indeed, for this it is not enough to say that its height exceeds thirty-four meters, and the weight of pure bronze spent on its manufacture is neither more nor less, but two hundred and fifty tons.
And some more features of this monument
At the same time, those of us who are at least slightly familiar with foundry production fall into some bewilderment from the very fact that such a sculpture was cast from such an amount of metal. And no less surprising, the present one causes another moment associated with this Buddhist monument, namely, how the industrious Chinese were able to raise this colossus to such a height. So, not in vain, many Asian monuments, dedicated to this Buddhist deity, simply pale in front of his statue, located on the island of Lantau.
However, this majestic composition also has its own significant differences from the canonical image of a seated Buddha, which, as a rule, faces the south side of the World with its face. And the Buddha, located on the island of Lantau, turns its gaze in a completely different, opposite direction, namely to the north, where the no less majestic capital of the Celestial Empire, Beijing, is located. What the authors of this monument wanted to say by this difference from the traditional canon of the Buddha image is rather difficult to say, but the fact that such a rather unique landmark was replenished from this nullifies all the objections of the true admirers of this religion.
How to get there
Significantly simplifies the problem of how to get to this Buddha statue, the small circumstance that Lantau Island has been one of the most major resorts this region. And if you have already arrived in Hong Kong on a comfortable airliner or sailed on an even more luxurious cruise ship, then getting to Lantau is not a problem at all.
Mortar
kinds
1) Buddhist stupa made of stone. Tibet.
2) Stupa in the Japanese pagoda.
Features of the shape of the stupa in different parts of India were determined by local traditions,
but in plan it must necessarily be round with a round or square base.
In the system of Buddhist symbolism, the stupa was seen as a vertical model of the universe.
(a square is a symbol of order and stability, a circle is a symbol of movement and development).
prototype architectural structure the type of stupa could be stone burial hills round in plan, which had a circular fence with a gate, or an Indian hut in the form of a beehive with a pole inside, supporting the ceiling at the zenith. In Vedic times, such huts were common in northern India. The Buddha himself, when asked about the shape of his future tomb, as if instead of answering, folded his cloak several times, on which he hoisted, turning upside down, his round bowl for collecting alms.
What geometric figures lie at the base of the stupa?
What does each of them symbolize?
What was the prototype of the stupa? (Find illustrations of these structures, show a visual similarity).
BIG STUPA
3rd century BC – 1st century AD in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh.
The base of the stupa is a stone drum with a strong fence around the edge and a double staircase. Symbolism The base of the stupa symbolizes the earth, the world of the god Mary, personifying death and various temptations that a person is subjected to in the world.
Above the plinth rises a majestic hemisphere made of layers of raw brick, lined with blocks of red sandstone. Symbolism The stone hemisphere, according to the ancient cosmological scheme, is the second level of the Universe, the world of gods and demigods, means the nirvana of the Buddha and himself, affirming the physical existence of the teacher. In addition, it is also a model of Mount Meru, a traditional Buddhist object of worship.
In the center of the hemisphere of the stupa there is a cubic chamber with a reliquary urn. Symbolism This is an image of the highest level of the Universe, where only those beings who have achieved Enlightenment move.
The stupa has a vertical axis in the form of a mast from the base to the top, which is completed with a pyramid of umbrellas. Symbolism The central pole symbolizes the axis of the Universe, the World Tree, victory over ignorance and death. Umbrellas, attributes of royal power, and protection from evil deeds, in Buddhism mean the steps of ascent to nirvana.
List the 4 main attributes of the Great Stupa at Sanchi. Describe one of them?
Find a picture of a stupa in Nepal (Swayambanath). Conduct a comparative analysis: what is the common stupa in Nepal with the Stupa in Sanchi?
What are the differences?
What elements of Swayambanath indicate dogmatic features?
Sculpture.
Big Buddha
The height of the statue is 34 meters, the weight is 250 tons, which made the Big Buddha the tallest bronze Buddha statue until 2007. To reach the statue, visitors need to climb a 268-step staircase, although there is also a small winding highway leading to the Buddha. The Big Buddha faces north, which is unique as all large Buddha statues face south.
Buddhism introduced very definite social ideas into art; these are the ideas of non-commitment of evil and violence, which in art have acquired a concrete-figurative character. For example, since ancient times there has been a traditional sculptural image of the thousand-armed Buddha: the Buddha sits on a lotus flower, around his head and shoulders, like a halo, a thousand hands are thrown up (the number, of course, is arbitrary), in the open palms of which, respectively, a thousand eyes are depicted. The social meaning of this religious image is as follows: the Buddha has a thousand eyes in order to see all the injustices committed on earth, and a thousand hands to extend a helping hand to all those who suffer, to avert grief and misfortune from them.
What is the social meaning of the "neutralism" of Buddhism?
