Statue Set of Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha and Medicine Buddha In Bronze Finishing

Iconography
Amitabha Buddha is also one of the five Tathagatas representing the wisdom of discriminating awareness (skt. Pratyavekshanajnana). When discriminating wisdom dawns on us we realize Non-production or non-origination of all things. He also represents purified form of desire.

Amitabha Buddha is red in color. He is represented in the stupa facing to the west. He rides on peacock symbolizing that he can take away the suffering of others just as the peacock eats poisonous plants and yet his tail shines forth.


Amitabha in Sanskrit means immeasurable light or limitless light. He resides in the western land of unlimited bliss (skt. Sukhavati). He is assisted by two Bodhisattvas viz. Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta. When he was a bodhisattva he was called Bhikshu Dharmakara. He made vows to establish an adorned land of unlimited bliss to ferry over those living beings who recite his name. On the basis of those vows, any living being who has faith, makes vows and practices diligently will be received by this Buddha and reborn in the pure land of unlimited bliss.

Amitabha Buddha presides over the Bhadrakalpa i.e. Fortunate Aeon. He always exhibits Dhyana mudra. He belongs to the Lotus family. He originates from the seed syllable Hrih. He can be recognized through the symbol of the lotus. With his extensive vows and great compassion this Buddha has ferried over innumerable sentient beings. The recitation of the name of Amitabha Buddha is a common practice in China and Japan. In Tibet too, devotees recite very often the prayer to be reborn in the land of Amitabha Buddha.urity

Commentary
The word 'Amitabha' is composed of 2 syllables. Amita-[Skt.] translates as infinite & -bha universal life or simply the universe. Related Sanskrit words include bha-va asin Bhavachakra & Bha-gavad as in Bhagavad Gita. Amitabha is often translated as Boundless Light which is taken to be the boundless Universe. Amitabha realised a Pure Land called Sukhavati which meanspossessinghappinessin Sanskrit. Sukhavati is situated in the uttermost west beyond the bounds of rational understanding. By the power of his vows he made it possible for all who call upon him to be reborn into this land, there to undergo instruction by him in the dharma and ultimately become bodhisattvas & Buddhas. Amitabha is one of the five Transcendent Buddhas emanated from the primeval 'Adi' Buddha Vajrdhara. Each of the transcendent Buddhas has arisen to help us overcome the five obstructions [Skt. Kleshas] to our spiritual growth and each is the Head of a Family. The Sanskrit word Klesha means poison in the sense of curruption. For this reason the transcendent Buddhas are called Wisdom Buddhas; they possess the wisdom to overcome viz. transcend the five obstructions are greed, hatred, delusion, jealousy & pride. Amitabha is formed to help us overcome greed [often expressed as desire]. Greed is conceived of as a thirst [Skt. Tanha] or appetite for the destructive things that harm us such as smoking, alcohol & selfishness. The transcendent Buddhas are sometimecalled the Meditation [Skt. Dhyana] Buddhas as people meditate on their wisdoms to overcome the five obstructions to spiritual growth to anable us to reach a higher level of understanding.

Mantra of Amitabha Buddha

Iconography
Medicine Buddha is the popular term for Bhaisajyaguru and refers to healing blue light transmitted by his representation and conception. Bhaisajyaguru means "Master of Blue Light". His healing energy is transmitted through blue light wave length called Vaydurya light. Medicine Buddha radiates this healing energy. Think of the light as internal chakra energy. The colour blue has been known for its purifying properties since ancient times and the deep blue colour of the Medicine Buddha is directly associated with this blue Vaydurya light energy. The energy source originates in the transparent beryl crystal bowl the Medicine Buddha supports and manifests itself in the deep blue of Lapis Lazuli [Lapis] of his corporeal body. The goldenergy lines [Skt. Chritrini] of his psychic body link all the yogic "vital airs" or energy winds [Skt. Vayus] and form the Beryl healing light energy beryl blue band of the inner aureole representing all the vital airs [Skt. Vyana] of the subtle body [Skt. Pranamayakosha]. As we journey through life we can find ourselves suffering through illness or through the illness of someone else. During illness previous priorities seem almost irrelevant as we seek to restore our balance or to find a new balance in our lives. Suddenly the medicine Buddha who is often overlooked becomes the most important of all while we realise our oversight. The image of the medicine Buddha can be used as a meditation deity [Skt. Ishta-devata] texts often call a meditation deity a Tutelary Deity or a Yidam Deity. A Yidam is the Tibetan word for an Ishtar-devata, a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. Deity Yoga practices can be undertaken. In essence, the mindstream of the guru and the yidam are indivisible. The yidam is considered to be the root of success in the practice. Visualise his serenity & healing light.





His extended left hand with an open front palm is shown in gift bestowing [Skt. Varada] hand gesture [Skt. Mudra] and holds the stem of a triple fruited myrobalan plant between his thumb & forefinger. In Tibetan medicine the myrobalan plant is known as the 'King of Medicines' on account of its medicinal properties. The gift bestowing hand gesture represents his dispensing of healing and holds a myrobalan plant bearing three myrobalan fruits. The number three refers to Principle of Three Gunas, which are Energy [Skt. Rajas] Inertia/Movement [Skt. Tamas] & wholeness or bodily order [Skt. Sattwa] When balanced we enjoy good health, when unbalanced illness can arise. Our bodies have a remarkable ability to rebalance if we allow them in a process known as homeostasis, directly linked to the principle of the Gunas. Unbalancing can occur when the moon residing at the naval root absorbs too much form the sun at the palette root which relates to too much sensual indulgence with the and the nectar of the moon is.

The right hand of Medicine Buddhas rests upon his lap in the position associated with an advanced connection with the inner self arrived at through meditation, commonly called the meditative state. The same hand supports a blue beryl crystal alms bowl containing medicinal nectar and a myrobalan fruit. He is portrayed wearing maroon monastic robes painted seated on a white moon disc in a lotus body position [Skt. Padmasana] and upon an actual lotus flower. Magical Buddhism [Tantric Buddhism] is very connected with Although more commonly linked to Vedic Yoga.

Commentary
This is why the ideas in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra are so closely connected with the Buddhist Principle of The Four Noble Truths and on gaining the liberated path. There are many other connections with Yoga such as the tantric gold energy lines [Skt. Chitrini] the lotus and chakras and in the choice of colours of aureoles. Perhaps most obvious is the classic yoga lotus asana with one leg crossed over the other that the Medicine Buddha is sitting in. The wisdom of Devata Yoga will help.

Matra of Medicine Buddha

Iconography
The idea of freeing the self (ourselves) from material world & the realisation of the supreme self is a theme common to Indian Philosophy. This is why word associated with the liberation such as Moksha, Samsara ( cycles of suffering), Karma & Nirvana are common to Hinduism , Jainism & Sikhism. The difference between these three schools of thought is twofold, 1. How this freeing of the self is attained & 2. What the nature of this freedom 'is'. That is what state of being freed or partly freed actually feels like or how it can be described.

Gautama is painted with golden skin sitting in a lotus seat [Skt. Padmasana] also called the meditative seat [Skt. Dhyanasana] & upon a white moon disc which represents the male principle of method which itself is upon a lotus throne. His left hand touches the ground in what is called bhumisparse mudra which symbolises his own recognition of enlightened mind in one of the most iconic images in all Buddhism. The palm always faces inwards. His feet are deliberately drawn level with one another & enlarged, being specific marks of a Buddha. His right hand supports an alms bowl [Skt. Patra], containing the liquid elixir of eternal life. Somehow the simple image of the bowl reflects his overwhelming humility & kindness. He wears the traditionally maroon gold monk's patched robe [Skt. Samghati] made of twenty five pieces of cloth which the first Buddhist monks sewed together. The Buddha has a green nimbus and blue aureole around his body signifying the highest level of understanding. Siddhartha is surrounded by Pink Lotuses [Skt. Padma]. This kind of lotus is connected with loving kindness & a flowering of pure consciousness. The closed bud to his right side represents the past or originating mind, the blooming flower represents the present & the buds represents the future Buddha Maitreya and forthcoming realisations. His elongated earlobes depict his royal connection; his knotted black hair & topknot symbolise his abandonment of worldly possessions; the dot [Skt. Urna] on his brow on the command chakra [Skt. Ajna] represents his transcendent wisdom, the 31st mark of a Buddha.



Life Story
Gautama was born c.563 BCE Lumbini, today in Nepal Died c.483 BCE Kushinagar in India. within the Sakya kingdom in Nepal. He family names were variously called Gautama [Skt. 'Best Cow'] & surname Shakyamuni [Skt. meaning 'Sage of the Shakyas'] The name Gautama is linked with a person called Maharshi [Eng. victorious on earth] Gautama who was an ancient seer. Maharshi Gouthama descendents adopted his surname. During his life he was as often called Gautama Tathagata, as Gautama Siddhi-hatha as Gautama Buddha. It was in recognition of his spiritual accomplishments he was called Siddhartha & relates to why Gautama is a Hindu avatar. The lineage of 23 Buddhas were for the majority drawn from Janapada Kings & high ranking Brahmins.
He studied Buddhist Ideas in several locations in Kashmir & Northern India which to may seem a contradiction in terms, this is because to many Gautama Buddha is what Buddhism is. There are in fact two basic schools of thought. 1. That Gautama is recognised for his enlightened reasoning who according to Theravada Buddhism was the 28th Buddha. 2. That he is the Supreme Buddha [Skt. Sammasambuddha] of our age & that he is the be all & end all of Buddhist Doctrine, & closely follow his progress or 'life story' & to how he in how became full awoken. In Hinduism he is considered to be the ninth avatar of God Vishnu.

At the age of 29 Siddhartha left his palace in order to meet his people. Despite his father's effort to remove the sick, aged & impoverished, Siddhartha encountered an old man. Disturbed by this, when told that all people would eventually grow old by his charioteer Channa, variously, a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. Deeply depressed by these sights, he sought to overcome old age, illness, and death by living the life of an ascetic. He left his palace leaving behind this royal life to become a mendicant. Siddhartha left Rajagaha and practised under two hermit teachers. After mastering the teachings of Alara Kalama Siddhartha was asked by Kalama to succeed him, but moved on.
He then became a student of Uddaka Ramaputta, but although he achieved high levels of meditative consciousness and was asked to succeed Ramaputta, he was still not satisfied with his path, and moved on. He initially became as ascetic but then After asceticism and concentrating on meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of breathing in and out), Siddhartha is said to have discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way- a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.
Gautama thus journeyed to Deer Park near Varanasi (Benares) in northern India, he set in motion the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the group of five companions with whom he had previously sought enlightenment. They, together with the Buddha, formed the first sangha, the company of Buddhist monks. For the remaining 45 years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled in the Gangetic Plain, in what is now Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & southern Nepal, teaching to an extremely diverse range of people, from nobles to outcaste street sweepers, mass murderers such as Angulimala & cannibals such as Alavaka. The sangha travelled from place to place in India, expounding the dharma.

2nd Commentary Gautama's entire Teachings revolve around: The Principle of the Three marks of existence; 1. Dukkha (Sanskrit: du?kha): That all beings suffer from all situations due to unclear mind. 2. Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things are impermanent. 3. Anatta (Sanskrit: anatman): That the perception of a constant "self" is an illusion. Gautama considers the arising of this suffering, & explains that this is caused by a misunderstanding of phenomena (the world around us) which is impermanent [Anicca] which he then related to the illusion of the ego, which is actually nothing but an illusion. [Anatta]. He shows that by understanding the nature of the suffering, & specifically its arising, we can alleviate this or extinguish it altogether.

Mantra of Shakyamuni buddha

Why use bronze Color?
Bronze color refers to the distinctive hue that is characteristic of bronze metal. It is a rich, warm tone that falls somewhere between brown and copper. Bronze has been used for centuries in the creation of statues, sculptures, and various decorative items due to its unique aesthetic appeal.

While the production of bronze statues can be complex and challenging, particularly in the Nepali statue-making industry, the bronze color can still be achieved through alternative methods such as the Bronze finishing process. In Nepal, sand casting is commonly used for creating bronze statues, but the resulting quality may not always meet desired standards. The Lost Wax system, on the other hand, yields better quality but can be prone to damage during the intricate carving process, leading to a decline in its practice.

Despite the challenges faced in creating bronze statues, the Bronze finishing process offers a way for individuals who appreciate the appearance of bronze to still experience its allure. By applying this finishing technique to other materials, such as Buddha Trinity, individuals can enjoy the look and feel of a bronze statue while preserving the essence of this revered art form.

Example of Bronze finishing

The method of metal casting in which a molten metal is poured into a mold that has been created by means of a wax model. Once the mold is made, the wax model is melted and drained away. Bronze statues come to life differently than marble statues. Instead of carving a block or marble, the bronze artist uses the lost-wax technique to make a series of molds, and then pours melted bronze into the final mold to create the sculpture. This method has been around since 4500 BCE.

There are few important steps in lost wax casting process :
Step 1: Sculpting ( It all starts in the studio with an idea, Then figuring out how to realize the vision in clay.)
Step 2: Mold Making.
Step 3: Wax Pouring.
Step 5: Wax Spruing.
Step 6: Shell Dipping.
Step 7: Bronze Pouring.

Interestingly enough Loss wax process is also called Investment casting because after layers have been formed and dried, the wax is melted out of the ceramic tree by using steam (120°C) in an autoclave. This is why it is called "lost wax casting". The majority of the molten wax which can then be regenerated and is reusable.