Description
Fasting Buddha Statue | Sacred Emblem of Austerity and Awakening
This Fasting Buddha Statue reflects the refined artistry and traditional craftsmanship of Himalayan Buddhist sculpture. Measuring 18 cm (7.08 inches) in height with a 10 cm (3.93 inches) base and weighing 0.67 kg, it features a copper body enhanced with 24K gold gilding and detailed acrylic painting. The radiant gold surface highlights the carefully modeled form and intricate sculptural details, while the acrylic painting adds definition and depth to selected features. The representation of the Buddha in an austere form reflects the traditional artistic portrayal of his period of intense ascetic practice before enlightenment. The combination of precise copper sculpting, gilding, and painting demonstrates the patience, skill, and dedication of skilled Himalayan artisans.
Fasting Buddha, also known as the Ascetic Shakyamuni, represents the period before his enlightenment when Siddhartha Gautama practiced extreme austerities and prolonged fasting in search of liberation. His dramatically emaciated body, visible ribs, sunken abdomen, pronounced joints, and slender limbs convey the severity of these ascetic practices, while his composed meditative posture and focused expression reflect extraordinary determination and concentration. After realizing that extreme self-denial could not lead to awakening, Siddhartha abandoned this approach and embraced the Middle Way, avoiding both sensual indulgence and severe asceticism. This powerful representation therefore symbolizes not only discipline, perseverance, and renunciation, but also the wisdom gained through direct experience—the understanding that balance, ethical conduct, meditation, and insight provide the path toward enlightenment.
Size: 7.08”/18cm (Height) x 3.93”/10cm (Base)
Weight: 0.67 kg
Material: 24K Gold Gilded, Acrylic Painting, Copper Body
The Fasting Buddha depicts Siddhartha Gautama during his six years of extreme asceticism before attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. He practiced severe self-deprivation, including prolonged periods of fasting, to understand suffering and liberation. This period, though ultimately deemed not the sole path to awakening, was a crucial step in his spiritual transformation, leading him to discover the Middle Way.
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