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Precious 18th Century painted clay statue of Shakyamuni Buddha

Dimensions: 1.75 inches (4.5 cm) T

Weight: 20g ( 5/8 oz)

Price: $225

Shipping Price: To be discussed later with buyer

Item Number:W125

Shakyamuni Buddha is sitting cross-legged on a lotus base with his right hand "summonsing the earth to witness" and his left hand in meditation position holding a begging bowl. Imbued with the great power of the dharma, this small clay sculpture iconically communicates the very foundations of Buddhism - the Four Noble Truths:
  1. suffering is part of the nature of existence;
  2. the causes of suffering are desires and the moral imperfections accumulated over many lifetimes;
  3. suffering can be ended by eliminating its causes;
  4. the way to end suffering is to follow the Middle Way and the Eightfold Path (i.e. Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration).
 
Such devotional sculptures are made from precious clay mixed with holy water - they often include the ashes from a learned teacher and/or the accumulated residues of sacred incense. The finished work would then be blessed and consecrated by a lama of elevated spiritual awareness - indeed some rice grain residue is still visible in the clay base. This act of consecration instils within the physical form a palpable spiritual dimension. This small sculpture therefore has great presence. The saturated mineral pigments that have been used have withstood the passage of time and further contribute to its charm. That the sculpture has passed into the present day in such fine condition, attests to the fact that it has been deemed an especially precious object by many generations of Mongolian Buddhists.
 

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If you would like to see more pictures, please don't hesitate to ask and I will send you a zip file full of them.

 

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