One of the fundamental aspects of Buddhism is meditation. It allows people to concentrate on the current moment and notice the tiniest details of what is happening around them. This is a complex skill that requires patience and time, but its development allows people to be more balanced and conscious (Rahula 48). To complete this work, I chose the sculpture The Parinirvana of Siddhartha/Shakyamuni, depicting the “sleeping” Buddha and the suffering people around him. This paper is focused on the religious aspects of the sculpture: its meaning and significance for Buddhists. It also describes the relationship between the sculpture and an essential Buddhist idea (parinirvana) and proves the importance of a relationship with a deity.
I chose this sculpture because it reflects one of the key points of Buddhism: the transition to nirvana. Moreover, it is a striking example of ancient art, which also made me choose it and make research related to it. It depicts multiple people: in addition to the Buddha, it includes monks, laypeople, and even Maya, who visited her son (Leidy 39). Most of the people depicted suffer because they realize that their Teacher leaves them, and they will have to continue their educational path on their own. It reflects one of the main Buddhist ideas: life is full of suffering, and only after achieving paranirvana people can get rid of it. However, some of them are not upset since they know that the Buddha was finally freed from sad and harmful earthly experiences.
I can say that I indeed felt something unusual, looking at this sculpture. This process can be called similar to meditation because I was focused on one object for a long time. I felt almost cut off from the outside world and immersed in the process. At the same time, I felt calm and had some connection with this work of art. It is interesting that the longer I looked at the sculpture, the more details I saw, although it seemed that I had already noticed everything I could. For example, I better understood the characters’ facial expressions and saw more and more elements of their clothes. Thus, I managed to get a relatively complete picture of the sculpture.
Art is necessary for any religion and culture because it metaphorically or directly reflects their basic ideas. Works of art can become objects of admiration or worship, instilling bright feelings in people’s souls. Their primary role is to convey specific thoughts to religion’s followers. In many cases, they are not evident without context: without knowing who the Buddha is, people will not understand what is happening in the sculpture (Jerryson 11). However, with the proper knowledge, people will be able to see a deep meaning in art. This will help them more fully understand religion or culture and feel the finer details of their beliefs.
The chosen sculpture reflects one of the main goals of Buddhism: parinirvana, that is, the final liberation from all suffering and getting out of the wheel of samsara. Looking at it, the audience understands that ordinary people who have not reached this state are doomed to suffer. In addition, thanks to this, the authority of the Buddha is strengthened once again: he is an example that millions of people are trying to follow (Oliver 6). Moreover, looking at the Teacher’s positive experience, imprinted in the sculpture, people believe in the possibility of achieving parinirvana more strongly.
The described sculpture, unfortunately, does not have a specific author and the exact time of creation. This makes the definition of the goal and intentions of the author quite complicated. However, it is vital for ancient Buddhists, as well as for modern followers of this religion. Probably, this object was created to support the cult and be installed in a religious institution. Its author, of course, could not be a simple person and was directly related to the preaching of Buddhism. In addition, the moment of work on oneself depicted in the sculpture is key to Buddhism. Therefore, the creator approached the work with knowledge of the matter and singled out a crucial part of the religion. This is also connected with the religious context since, in Asia, the theme of overcoming the endless cycle of reincarnation was one of the most popular (Leidy 40). Thus, this sculpture is harmoniously inscribed in the general layer of Buddhism’s cultural heritage and has historical and religious value.
One can note a religious symbol important for Buddhists on the sculpture: the Bodhi tree, with the Buddha sitting under it, having reached enlightenment (Wright 2). It is located to the right of the piece of art and is almost imperceptible, but it plays an essential role in sculpture. It reminds viewers of the value of this tree and partly of its simplicity: each of them can follow a similar path. Another symbolic aspect is the sleeping Buddha, which is a metaphoric depiction of his way to parinirvana. He is not concerned about regular human problems and can stay calm and confident, seeing things as they are.
The sculpture The Parinirvana of Siddhartha/Shakyamuni is one of the prime examples of Buddhist art. It depicts one of the most critical stages of Buddhist history and reflects the aspiration of every Buddhist. It is filled with details related to various aspects of Buddhism and is of interest to not only religion but also science. In addition, this sculpture is a vivid and unusual example of ancient art, proving the talent of people of the past. Thus, the study of such art forms is an integral part of acquaintance with any religion and culture.
Works Cited
Jerryson, Michael. The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism. Oxford University Press, 2017.
Leidy, Denise Patry. The Art of Buddhism: An Introduction to Its History & Meaning. Shambhala Publications, 2008.
Oliver, Joan Duncan. Buddhism: An Introduction to the Buddha’s Life, Teachings, and Practices (The Essential Wisdom Library). St. Martin’s Griffin, 2019.
Rahula, Walpola. What the Buddha Taught. Simon and Schuster, 2014.
Wright, Dale Stuart. What is Buddhist Enlightenment? Oxford University Press, 2016.