Shakyamuni Buddha is the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, born in Lumbini, in the south of present-day Nepal. His name means "the sage of the Shakya clan". After years of searching, he reached enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya and spent the rest of his life teaching.
How he is shown
- Seated in full meditation posture on a lotus throne, often supported by lions or elephants.
- His right hand touches the ground: the "earth-touching" gesture. On the night of his enlightenment, when Mara challenged his right to awaken, he touched the earth to call it to witness.
- His left hand rests in his lap in meditation, holding an alms bowl.
- Monk's robes in saffron and red, often patterned with fine gold-coloured line work.
- The marks of a Buddha: a golden complexion, a rounded crown on the head (ushnisha), long earlobes, and a halo and aureole behind him.
Who appears around him
He is often flanked by his two chief disciples, Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, standing with alms bowls and staffs. Larger compositions add the Sixteen Arhats, or scenes from his life. The Buddha Life Story places these scenes all around him.
His mantra
Om Muni Muni Mahamuniye Soha: "Om, sage, sage, great sage".
In a painting
Shakyamuni is the simplest subject to recognise and one of the hardest to paint well. Look for a serene, symmetrical face, an earth-touching hand drawn with care, and fine, even pattern in the robes. A Shakyamuni thangka suits a meditation space or a quiet wall.
