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| "Buddhapada" stone, 1st/2nd c C.E, Gandhara |
Gandhara was a trade region that attracted a diverse group of people. It is believed that the movement of merchants and displaced tribes helped define a new set of cultural standards. It's possible that the imprints were a way for the Gandharan people to justify their particular interpretation of Buddhist philosophy. Who would argue if the Buddha had actually ministered to the people?(2)
Contained within a stylistically Gandhara crossed border are footprints of the Buddha covered in symbols. The lotus at the center of the feet are traditionally known as Dharmachakras, or wheels, but these are a Gandhara invention that have incorporated the lotus into the design. A Dharmachakra is the wheel of karma and is a shared symbol between the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist traditions. The lotus symbolizes the Buddha's purity of spirit and also forms the focal point of the piece. The Triratna symbol on the heels incorporates the lotus into the design as well. The Triratna is a symbol of the Threefold Way which represents the Three Jewels of Buddhism (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha or the enlightened one, the teachings, and the monastic order). On the toes are repeated Svastika symbols that were auspicious symbols commonly found in Buddhist and Jain art during this period. There are two Yakshis on either side of the prints both holding palm leaves. Females played a secondary role in the early Northern Buddhist tradition and their appearance is odd. The hand gestures being shown tell us that they are signifying respect and greeting once again, alerting us to the physical presence of the Buddha.(2)
Notes
1. "Buddha Footprint," Wikipedia, accessed October 9, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha_footprint
2. John Eskenazi, "A 'Buddhapada' Stone , 1st/2nd c C.E, Gandhara," Columbia.edu, accessed October 9, 2020, http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00routesdata/0100_0199/kushanart/buddhapada/buddhapada.html.
Ashley, this was a very insightful post. I have seen footprints in relation to Buddhism before but I never understood that it was due to passing into Nirvana. After doing more research, I found that according to Buddhist legend, after the Buddha attained enlightenment, his feet made an imprint in the stone where he stepped!
ReplyDeleteThis was very cool to learn about I did not know this about the footprints or about the Buddha, going into Nirvana, to reach enlightenment. I thought the lotus in the center of the foot was interesting, as they represented the Buddhas purity. It reminds of the order of the white lotus from Avatar, as they represent philosophy, truth, and beauty; much the symbol in the footprint. I wonder if this is where the got the idea for that organization in the show.
ReplyDeleteHello Ashley,
ReplyDeleteYour blog post on the Buddhapada was really interesting and I think you did a great job explaining some of the significance behind it. A key difference between Buddhism and Christianity is that Buddhism is non-theistic based religion or philosophy and rejects ideas of a Creator God. “Buddhism is centered upon the life and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who came to be known as the Buddha” (Poonam, et al., n.d.). During my religious studies course, our class read a wonderful book called, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Hanh Nhat Thich and I want to share a closing thought with you from a quote in that book. “Why wander all over the world looking for something you already have” (Thich, 1997).
References
Hanh, N. (1998). The heart of the Buddhas teaching: Transforming suffering into peace, joy, and liberation. New York: Random House.
Poonam, K. T., Sehgal, P., C., & Bansal, R. (n.d.). Buddhism vs Christianity. Retrieved October 11, 2020, from https://www.diffen.com/difference/Buddhism_vs_Christianity
-Autumn Fink