In The Infinite Mindfield I also have a section discussing the carved Buddharupa statues that can be found across Asia. All have an odd head protuberance and a curious hair design. It is believed that the head protuberance symbolizes the link between the mind of the Buddha and heightened states of awareness. What has long mystified me is the way in which the hair of the Buddha is depicted on these statues. One constant across Asia is the fact that most inhabitants of that part of the world have straight black hair. And yet the Buddha is always shown as having what look like tight curls depicted as a series of nodules. Again the standard explanation for this is that when Siddhartha left the palace and lived the life of a poor man he cut his hair very short. For me this makes no sense. Traditionally bhikkhus (Buddhist monks) always shave their head as a symbol of their detachment from the world of vanity. It would therefore be much easier for the carvers of the Buddharupas simply to make the head totally smooth. A great deal of work must go into carving each individual nodule – indeed, in China and Japan the Buddha is usually depicted with a shaved scalp. For me there has to be symbolism within this ancient design. Again I cannot help but note that the nodule hair design makes the head of each Buddharupa a symbol of a pine cone. Of course this is pure supposition on my part.......
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 13:04:57 +0000
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