Buddha Statue, Miniature, 3.5 cm

This small statue depicts a Buddha seated in the lotus posture on a lotus base, his right hand raised in the gesture of teaching, his left resting in his lap. It is handcrafted from brass in Nepal. A halo frames the head, with the Dharma wheel worked into its reverse. To learn how to give a statue a fitting place, read our article The Tibetan Home Altar.

The figure fits in the palm of your hand and finds a place even where there is no large altar: on your desk, on a shelf or when travelling. It is an everyday reminder of calm, clarity and the value of the teaching.

The raised right hand, with thumb and index finger touching, is called vitarka mudra, the gesture of teaching. It stands for explaining and passing on the Buddha's teaching, the Dharma. In Buddhist art it is associated above all with the historical Buddha Shakyamuni as a teacher. The left hand rests in the lap in the gesture of meditation (dhyana mudra), and the legs are crossed in the lotus posture.

The Dharma wheel on the back of the halo is one of the eight auspicious symbols. It recalls the Buddha's first sermon, with which, according to tradition, he set the wheel of the teaching in motion. Its eight spokes stand for the Noble Eightfold Path. The lotus base points to the awakened mind, which, like the lotus flower, grows from muddy water yet remains pure.

Place the statue somewhere clean and raised, for example on your home altar, a shelf or your desk. Its size also makes it suitable for a small travel altar: carried in a cloth pouch, it can come with you and be set up in front of you when you arrive, for a short meditation or a moment of stillness.

We sell our statues unconsecrated. Even a small statue can be consecrated by monks or lamas at a Buddhist centre.

Material

brass

Making

by hand in Nepal

Height

approx. 3.5 cm

Width

approx. 2 cm

Depth

approx. 1.5 cm

Weight

approx. 19 g

Figure

in lotus posture on a lotus base

Back

halo with Dharma wheel

Base

solid, cannot be opened

As each piece is made by hand, slight variations are possible.

Remove dust with a soft, dry brush or cloth. Avoid water and harsh cleaning products. Brass darkens slightly over time, which is part of the material. When travelling, a small cloth pouch protects the figure. As an image of the Buddha, by Tibetan custom it belongs not on the floor but in a clean, raised place.