Hand-sculpted Buddha pendant.

ABOUT: This one is daunting to introduce for obvious reasons- the Buddha is one of the most enduring and powerful symbols in the world and revered by half a billion people.
In this design, I wanted to capture the impression of peace and joy that the ancient Buddhist temple statues radiate- not a passive attitude but a tangible quality. In some of these statues, there is something almost not-quite-human about him, both ancient and childlike, because he has transcended the mortal, human cycle of endless desire and frustration.

The elements on this pendant are drawn from traditional Indian examples. Most Buddha statues show the Buddha as sitting in the lotus position, which was used since before the Buddha's times to facilitate a state that was balanced and relaxed, still but awake. These statues are not only a representation of the sage, but are also intended as inspiration to entice people to find out the truth for themselves.

The hands form an open position called a "mudra", centered below the navel, where meditators since thousands of years feel the seat of spiritual and physical energy to be concentrated.

The Buddha’s long ears have come to represent wisdom and clear perception, his ability to ‘hear the sounds of the whole world’. They also allude to the Buddha’s past as a rich young prince, Siddhartha Gautama. According to this interpretation, the Buddha’s earlobes would have been stretched by the opulent earrings he used to wear; once he renounced all luxuries and comforts and stopped wearing jewelry, his ears remained elongated- a symbol of the worldly life he had transcended.

He sits on a pedestal of lotus petals: the lotus flower is an ancient symbol of purity that predates Buddhism. It grows in muddy water but its petals remain unstained and fragrant. The Buddha referred to it in his speeches to describe the state of being right in the world of chaos, yet being untouched by it.
The branches over his head represent the Bodhi tree, the sacred fig tree that the Buddha sat under until he attained enlightenment.

The open circle beside the Buddha is a Japanese Zen symbol known as an "enso", the empty circle. Among other attributes, it represents an aspect of reality called "emptiness": not empty of content, but empty of fixed characteristics, since everything is in a state of flux and impermanence. It expresses the Buddha's great insight into "dependent origination", the connectedness of all phenomena. This state also means to be free of preconceptions and therefore be completely spontaneous, and not fixated on perfection. Traditionally, an enso had to be drawn in one swift, fluid brushstroke, allowing no room for thought or hesitation in the mind of the calligrapher.

Above all, I wanted this piece to be a miniature oasis of peace and stillness that you can turn to at any time, and an invitation to return to the present moment.

The Buddha is part of the limited number series (only 175 will be made and each piece will be numbered in the back).

Please allow approximately 3 weeks for delivery and 3 to 5 weeks for the two-toned. 

DIMENSIONS: Large pendants are approximately 27-30 mm diameter, Medium 23-25mm, Mini 17-19 mm. Please see image below with US currency coins for scale, from lower left to upper right: Mini Libra pendant, Medium Fox pendant, Large Taurus pendant.