A seated Fasting Buddha is used to depict Siddhartha after reaching enlightenment at Bodhgaya, he meditated and fasted for 49 days. Showing him as an emaciated renouncer displays his enlightenment...
A seated Fasting Buddha is used to depict Siddhartha after reaching enlightenment at Bodhgaya, he meditated and fasted for 49 days. Showing him as an emaciated renouncer displays his enlightenment and his status as a yogic ascetic who has complete control over his body. The hands are in Dhyana Mudra, both on the lap symbolising wisdom. Bangkok’s celebrated Wat Benchamabophit (temple) was established by King Rama V in 1899. In the gallery there are 52 Buddha statues in different styles and Mudras, collected by his son Prince Damrong. Among these are an outstanding bronze casting of the great Gandhara fasting Buddha in the Lahore Museum.