Everyone (who doesn’t live under a rock) is familiar with the pop-culture idea of the Buddha figure.  A plump little man, sitting cross-legged, with a jolly looking smile on his face.  Much like this fellow here.

What most people don’t realize, is the myriad of ways in which Buddha has been depicted, and more importantly the significance and meaning behind those depictions.

As a matter of fact, the first depictions of Buddha weren’t even depictions of Buddha at all.  Fearing idolatry, original Buddhist artworks featured mere signs of Buddha’s passing, his foot-prints for example.

Yet as time went on, these iconoclastic tendencies lessened, and we begin to see images of the Buddha himself.  One such image is that of the “Seated Buddha at Gandhara”

This image is quite a break from tradition.  The kingdom of Gandhara existed in what is present day Pakistan.  Therefore, it was one of the westernmost parts of India.  This geographical position opened Gandhara to heavy western influence.  Thus, the style of this piece is quite different from main-stream Indian tradition.  Specifically, Gandharan art was heavily influenced by Roman tradition.  For example, the sculpture is much more naturalistic than its earlier and contemporary counterparts.  Note the detail in the robes, hair, hands and even the face.  The robes and face in particular are reminiscent of certain Roman styles.  But while the style may be Roman, it is certainly Indian in subject matter.

This statue is meant to represent Buddha giving his sermon at the deer park in Sarnath.  Behind his head is the “wheel of Darma” or the “wheel of law”, which according to Buddhist tradition he set in motion with his Sarnath sermon.  At the base of the statue is an image of bodhisattvas, who are learning from him, and they are flanked by a pair of lions, representative of Buddha’s royal origins.

The “Seated Buddha at Sarnath,” shares some commanalities, but also a number of differences.

Like the figure from Gandhara, this piece is likewise depicting Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath.  We see the Bodhisattvas on the base, in the learning scene, and behind Buddha there is the Wheel of Darma.  However, in this piece, we also see the mudra (or hand-sign) which indicates teaching or instruction.  However, unlike the Gandharan piece, this is much more traditionally Indian in style.  All non-essential decoration is removed, thus no fancy and detailed robes.  The face is depicted in a meditative, trance-like state, as opposed to the Apollonian face of the Gandharan figure.