Buddhist Icons

       The earliest statues of Buddha date from the first century CE. Before this, symbols suck as Buddha's footprin of the burial mounds called stupas signified the person of Buddha. Statues of Buddha depict a figure with broad shoulders and long legs, symbolizing the soulders of a lion and the legs of a gazelle. The figures are shown with specil marks, particulary on the head and face, suck as the urna in the center of the forehead which refers to wisdom. The downcast eyes demonstrate the meditation Buddha was engaged in, in the elongated earlobes remind the faithful that to seek enlightenment they mush surrender worldly goods suck as heavy earrings, as did Buddha, whose earlobes had stretched under the weight of gold and gamestones. The gestures of the hand of the statues of Buddha each have meaning:the hand down with the palm out is the gesture for charity; the hand raised with the palm open is the gesture for the reassurence. When the thumb touches the index or middle finger it is assuming the gesture for teaching.

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