Buddha Figurines

For Buddhists, Buddha statue serve as visual imagery intended to narrate the various aspects of the Buddha's life and lessons. Buddhism emphasizes qualities such as compassion, seeking personal development, and taking responsibility for one's actions. The very first Buddhist artworks were stupas, or caskets, filled with Buddha's ashes after his death. These caskets drew visitors seeking a higher purpose and ultimately contributed to the proliferation of new forms of Buddhist art. Left: Chinese Cloisonne Enameled Bronze Buddhist Stupa. There are three different positions of the sitting Buddha: virasana, vajrasana, and pralambanasana. Virasana, also known as hero's pose or half lotus, depicts the legs crossed over each other and the sole of one foot is turned upward.