Item: Shakyamuni Buddha - Life Story (Single Composition)

Shakyamuni Buddha (Tibetan: sha kya thu pa, sang gye, English: the Enlightened One, Sage of the Shakya Clan): surrounded by vignettes portraying the twelve major deeds of his life.

In a formal posture, traditional in appearance, golden in colour, he looks forward with the eyes slightly closed in a meditative gaze. The dark blue-black hair curled in small tufts is piled on the crown of the head in a large mound (Sanskrit: ushnisha), the crest of that adorned with a single gold ornament. Between the long tapered eyebrows is a single dot (Skt.: urna) and the earlobes are long and pierced; the neck adorned with the beauty marks of three horizontal lines. The right arm is outstretched with the hand placed across the knee and the fingers pointed downward in the Earth touching mudra (gesture). The left hand in the lap with the palm upward in the mudra of meditation holds a black and gold trimmed begging bowl filled with myrobalan fruit. A large orange robe covers the upper body and wraps about the legs. The lower body is attired in a red robe tied with a dark sash. The two legs are folded together in vajra posture, right over left, above a large multi-coloured lotus seat and tiered throne. A blue-orange nimbus and dark green aureola surround the body and head.

Twelve Deeds:
1. The bodhisattva in the form of a white elephant leaving the Tushita heaven.
2. Entering the womb of queen Maya Devi.
3. The birth takes place in the Lumbini Grove.
4. Learning the worldly arts.
5. Observing birth, sickness, old age and death.
6. Leaving the palace and becoming a self-ordained monk.
7. Performing austerities.
8. Seated beneath the bodhi tree.
9. Defeat of the Four Maras.
10. Achieving Buddhahood.
11. Turning the Wheel of Dharma.
12. Passing into maha-pari-nirvana.

Jeff Watt 7-2015