Statue of the Buddha

Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha

Tibet, 16th century
Gilt bronze with inlaid turquoise

Our Object of the Month for February is this Tibetan statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, known as sha kya tu pa, sang gye (the enlightened one, sage of the Shakya clan) in Tibetan. Shakyamuni Buddha is the title given to the ancient Indian noble, Siddhartha, who died around 400 BC and whose teachings formed the foundation of Buddhism. Siddhartha is believed to have achieved what is known as ‘enlightenment’ or awakening to the true nature of things and an escape from suffering and the endless cycle of rebirth. The story of his life goes that he first witnessed suffering as a young man, when he left the shelter of his palace. He decided to leave his life of luxury and comfort to find an escape from all suffering. He sought the guidance of other spiritual teachers but eventually developed his own path to enlightenment through meditation. He achieved enlightenment at the age of thirty-five and then spent the rest of his life as a travelling teacher. His followers handed down his teachings, which eventually spread throughout India and then across the world via the Silk Road. Buddhism reached Tibet by the 7th century and became the state religion by the end of the 8th century.

Relief carving of a scene from the life of Shakyamuni Buddha, schist with traces of gold, 2nd – 3rd century, Pakistan, Metropolitan Museum collection, object number 1987.142.1

Our Object of the Month can be identified as Shakyamuni Buddha because of the position of his hands in the ‘touching earth gesture’ or bhumisparsa mudra. Statues of Shakyamuni Buddha usually have this hand position as it symbolises the moment that he achieved enlightenment and touched the earth to call it to witness. Shakyamuni Buddha is believed to have had the 112 physical characteristics of a ‘universal monarch’ or chakravartin, according to ancient Indian tradition. Some of these can be seen on this statue, including the mark between his eyebrows, the bump on top of his head, and three lines around his neck. This statue depicts Shakyamuni Buddha wearing a robe with an embroidered hem. His elongated earlobes are a result of the heavy earrings he wore before he left his palace to seek enlightenment. He is seated on a throne decorated with lotus petals - an important Buddhist symbol associated with enlightenment.

Painting of Shakyamuni Buddha, Western Tibet, mid-17th century, Metropolitan Museum, object number 2008.647

The beauty of this statue would have been considered of secondary importance to its sacred meaning when it was first made. The person commissioning it or making it would have done so in the hope of building merit, or ‘karma’, so that they could be reborn into a better life. The statue is particularly finely modelled and was made with precious materials, including the inlaid turquoise decoration added to the lotus throne. Once finished, a ceremony would have been performed by a Tibetan Buddhist teacher or lama to make the statue sacred. Relics, precious materials, and Buddhist texts would have been placed inside the statue. Following this ceremony, it would have been treated with great respect and given offerings as if it were Shakyamuni Buddha himself.    

This statue appears to have been a particular favourite of Denys Eyre Bower, as it was included in his portrait painted by Dame Laura Knight (1877 – 1970). It is on display in the castle’s ‘Buddhist Room’ along with other highlights from the collection.

Portrait of Denys Eyre Bower by Dame Laura Knight, Chiddingstone Castle collection, object number 01.2999

This object is just one of the many objects that form part of Denys Eyre Bower’s five impressive collections which include Ancient Egyptian, Japanese, Buddhist, Stuart and Jacobite, and Books. For more information on these objects, review our Object of the Month series, visit the Historic House and Collections or contact our Curator, Naomi Collick by email or by calling 01892 870347.