Is this about images of the Buddha? If so - interestingly in early Buddhism then for the first 600 years or so then no images were made, they used symbols such as a wheel (turning the "wheel of dharma") or a footprint (of the Buddha) or an empty throne.
This shows the assault of Mara on the Buddha with the Buddha represented by an empty throne.
Footprint of the Buddha.
Buddhist art - pre-iconic phase, 5thto 1st centure
Evolution of the Buddha Image
Images of the Buddha gradually appeared around the first century CE.
As for how they are understood nowadays - when Buddhists prostrate,they are prostrating to the three jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha - the historical Buddha or the enlightened mind, the teachings of the buddha or the direct inspiration you can get from the enlightened mind - and the Sangha which can be interpreted in many ways -strictly, it's monks and nuns who take the precepts - but more generally, those who help you along the path, your companions on the path.
And often you make offerings to the image - these are the traditional offerings made when you invite a respected guest into your home. Often these are symbolised using bowls of water - the idea is that with bowls of water you don't get hung up on whether you have offered enough or not, and such like, so can connect to the essence of the practice more easily.
So - the idea there is to welcome the Buddha into your life. So - particularly - to welcome the inspiration of enlightenment, also the basic sanity of the Buddha's teachings, into your life.
So - not prostrating to a wooden carving or metal casting. Rather - this external symbol helps you to open out to the teachings of the Buddha in your life. Something about physically prostrating to a representation of the three jewels helps to open your mind to the possiblity of insipration coming from outside of your self, at least as normally undrestaood . But part of the process is also to recognize this inspiration as something you have in yourself also. The path is about uncovering your own innate wisdom and compassion - but the inspiration to do that has to come from without - at least from outside your comfortable normal self as you have always supposed it is.
Generally Buddha images are understood in this way - as an external representation of the inspiration of the Buddha's teachings. And of various qualities and attributes of enlightenment in a poetic visual form.
They are a bit like visual poems to enlightenment. Not to be taken too literally that "this is what enlightenment or enlightened beings look like",
Footprint of the Buddha.
Buddhist art - pre-iconic phase, 5thto 1st centure
Evolution of the Buddha Image
Images of the Buddha gradually appeared around the first century CE.
As for how they are understood nowadays - when Buddhists prostrate,they are prostrating to the three jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha - the historical Buddha or the enlightened mind, the teachings of the buddha or the direct inspiration you can get from the enlightened mind - and the Sangha which can be interpreted in many ways -strictly, it's monks and nuns who take the precepts - but more generally, those who help you along the path, your companions on the path.
And often you make offerings to the image - these are the traditional offerings made when you invite a respected guest into your home. Often these are symbolised using bowls of water - the idea is that with bowls of water you don't get hung up on whether you have offered enough or not, and such like, so can connect to the essence of the practice more easily.
So - the idea there is to welcome the Buddha into your life. So - particularly - to welcome the inspiration of enlightenment, also the basic sanity of the Buddha's teachings, into your life.
So - not prostrating to a wooden carving or metal casting. Rather - this external symbol helps you to open out to the teachings of the Buddha in your life. Something about physically prostrating to a representation of the three jewels helps to open your mind to the possiblity of insipration coming from outside of your self, at least as normally undrestaood . But part of the process is also to recognize this inspiration as something you have in yourself also. The path is about uncovering your own innate wisdom and compassion - but the inspiration to do that has to come from without - at least from outside your comfortable normal self as you have always supposed it is.
Generally Buddha images are understood in this way - as an external representation of the inspiration of the Buddha's teachings. And of various qualities and attributes of enlightenment in a poetic visual form.
They are a bit like visual poems to enlightenment. Not to be taken too literally that "this is what enlightenment or enlightened beings look like",
About the Author
Robert Walker
Writer of articles on Mars and Space issues - Software Developer of Tune Smithy, Bounce Metronome etc.Studied at Wolfson College, Oxford
Lives in Isle of Mull
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