In one way or another, Buddha, in slender or convex form, is the figure that can be found in more and more living rooms and gardens. Buddha is prominently present in paintings and photographs or statues from plastic to bronze and sometimes dominates the atmosphere of the room. What makes Buddha, and what he stands for, such a popular appearance to hang on the wall or put on the sideboard? In other words, does it have anything to do with Buddhism?
Who is Buddha anyway?
Provided there is no exact historical representation, the story is broadly known. Siddhartha Gautama Buddha lived several hundred years BC, the exact dates vary from 490 to 350 BC. Somewhere during that period he turned about 80 years old and was born as a prince in the south of Nepal as the son of King Śuddhodana.
The child
According to tradition, it was announced even before he was born that the king’s son was a special child. It would either be an unsurpassable ruler or the one who would attain enlightenment. His father then places the boy in a golden cage and so he grows up and knows no sadness, pain, old age, etc. His aunt, who raises him since his mother died in childbirth, cannot change that. Only during his 29th year of life do his eyes open, so to speak, and he goes outside the palace walls to see what life really is. He then sees for the first time that people are getting older, getting sick and dying. A monk also impresses him, this man has no earthly possessions and lives simply and focused on spiritual development. Shortly afterwards, this prompted him to want to live in seclusion himself. He leaves the palace, his wife Yasodhara and son Rahula.
Finding enlightenment
After living in seclusion for about six years, quite haggard and self-tortured, he emerges from the woods scrawny. It has not given him the enlightenment he is looking for. From his half-dead body he slowly regains his strength to search for enlightenment again. He does this by finding a middle ground. Meditation under the Bodhi tree ultimately provides him with the enlightenment he is looking for. At the age of 35 he reaches enlightenment and from that moment on Buddha (which means the enlightened or the awakened one) is, as it were, reborn and he starts teaching. Buddha grows out of the spiritual leader.
His life lessons, derived from insights he has previously gained, have a sober approach, peaceful and compassionate. Buddha’s start also refers to the beginning of Buddhism (it is a philosophical and religious movement). The doctrine is widely known (> 400 million) and is practiced in large parts of the world. The core of this teaching is gaining insight into human suffering and the path to eliminating this suffering, but quite a bit has been added over the centuries. Some aspects that have been added:
- Letting go of emotions that bring attachment, fear, pride, anger, etc.
- The four noble truths describe the middle path to achieving enlightenment.
- The eightfold path, which represents insight, wisdom, ethics and meditation.
- The wisdom of emptiness which ends the cycle of rebirth.
The translation to the now
However, the above is not the translation that the Western world makes to the interior and exterior. There, the image of Buddha represents peace and balance and is a very rough translation of what people in the Western world are looking for.
Peace, cleanliness and balance
The fact that the balance is in the Western way for many is nothing new and there must be some compensation for this at some point. Not that an image brings back the balance, that requires more. But a number of basic principles from Buddhism and the image of Buddha are linked to the feeling of peace, purity, balance. It is not without reason that many sauna complexes or spas are in neutral colors and sober and often feature the image of Buddha. The wellness institutes are there to bring the busy Westerner back into balance, and many people do not even realize that the sauna and a massage are also good for the body.
The moment of relaxation is more important in this case and we like to extend this to the place where we literally and figuratively come home, the house. Not that it is bad that you translate an image of Buddha to peace, purity and balance or simply because you think it is a beautiful picture, but it has little to do with the Buddha as an enlightened one.
Which image?
There are quite a few different images of Buddha and it is also a very personal process. In addition to the young or old(er) Buddha, we also have all kinds of materials. Pay close attention to whether it is a Buddha that can remain in the garden or is specifically for indoor use. If you bring the inside and outside together, it is good to include these aspects as well.
In addition to indoor canvas, Buddha can also be found on outdoor canvas. There are different materials and in different sizes. But to create the right whole, a green and somewhat austere environment around the print usually reflects the picture of peace, cleanliness and balance.
Finally
The Buddha image is booming business and there is nothing wrong with that, but reading the story about Buddha can also be very interesting. Philosophizing about his life can then provide new insights. Not to adhere to a religion if necessary, but to help give substance to what we are looking for in the Western world.