The Buddha's Face - www.thebuddhasface.co.uk: January 2011

Monday, 17 January 2011

The Best Lego Buddha Statues

Lego - the chosen play brick of childhood - infinitely creative - children (and big children) have for the last 50 years been making models using its uncannily pixellated form. Normally these are pirates,truckers,hospitals, zoos and the like so it is not surprising that this versatile toy would eventually be used to make Buddha statues. Here are three of the best - not quite sure it works in representing the serenity and wisdom and compassion of the Buddha - given its clunky appearance. But top marks for having a go !

The Buddha's Face
The best place to buy wholesale and retail Buddha statues,sculptures and wall panel decor for both the home and garden
Bespoke design available, from small buddha statues to large buddha wall art in colours from natural wood to gold ,all carved by our Buddhist artists and 100%fairtrade.

Visit our Buddhism 101 Enlightenment Project

Saturday, 15 January 2011

The Final Days and Death of the Buddha - Cartoon

Death is a natural part of life there is nothing to fear - let my teachings be your guide. Thus spoke the Buddha as in his 80th year he prepared to die much to the sadness of his followers and disciples. A great man who had been prince and renounced worldly desires and craving was ready to leave this earthly life. In this rather fetching cartoon the salient points of his last days are well represented.

"Nothing is permanent - strive on with diligence."

The Buddha's Last Words

Yet More Buddhist Home Decor Tips

From paintings to architecture, religions have been a source of inspiration for the art world. And ancient Buddhist art has always been popular, especially now in homes of contemporary design. There's something very urban about ancient Buddhist art with the striking colour combination of Buddhist art as well as the simple lines and growing global interest in spirituality for its popularity among urban residents .

Buddhist Art as Home Decorations

Nowadays Buddhist artworks have evolved into popular decor accessories for contemporary interiors around the world. Contemporary Buddhist art these days is seen as more of a trendy, home decor item than as a religious symbol. In the design world today, Buddhist art is often viewed as a part of an ethnic, aesthetic feature. Incorporating such an aesthetic element to a contemporary design scheme has become increasingly popular among urban homeowners.

The modern interpretation of Buddhist art resonates well with a contemporary urban styles and this artistic expression often marries together Eastern and Western philosophy - the Ying and the Yang.

Buddhist Art for Modern Homes

Often painted in delicate earth tones the main concept of contemporary Buddhist-design led homes is modern and minimalist. And it is not uncommon to find Buddhist art works in every corner of the house - hanging on the wall, adorning the garden and decorating tables.

The allure of Buddhist art lies in its timelessness and rawness. Buddhist artworks can be found in great numbers in Thailand and Bali and throughout SE Asia. Simple lines of gold,wood,gilt and earth colours in many art works which are timeless and can work in both a modern house or a temple. Contemporary Buddhist are today advocates subtleness, with simple lines. Think basically Zen !There is also something uniquely therapeutic about Buddhist art - the simple and serene features of the Buddha exhibit compassion and wisdom and act as a symbol to us all and a simple message communicates down to us from the annals of ancient history.

Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind. Buddha

Buddhist Art Home decor tips for Beginners

Here's a great news clipping sent in by a reader with some sound advice of how to use modern,contemporary Buddha images in creating a modern home aesthetic which is both pleasing to the eye and helps to create a quiet , spiritual place where to escape the pressures and chaos of modern life. You can of course by a wide selection of authentic,fair trade hand carved Buddha art direct from the Buddha's Face.

"It is better to travel well than arrive" Buddha

Statue of the Buddha which looks like Adolf Hitler !

This Buddha statue from the remote land-locked region of India called Sikkim is notorious for having similar features to that of one of the most monstrous dictators the world has ever seen - Germany's Adolf Hitler. It wasn't enough that the Nazis stole (and reversed) that ancient symbol for peace - the Swastika - but his image lives on in a symbol of peace ,wisdom and compassion.

Not everybody can see the likeness which is fortunate and I imagine the good people of Sikkim are oblivious to the potential sinister connotations that this wonderful statue has to certain western minds.

Hitler and Buddhism from our blog previously.

All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain? Buddha

Buddha Statues and Images in Gardens - Revisited

In the UK the long dark days of January are ideal ones to contemplate the coming shape and nature of your garden particularly once spring comes and the hibernating plants spring into magical life. Consider buying a Buddha statue or Buddha wall hanging and integrate this into garden design. We have written extensively on the subjects of gardens before at the Buddha's face and I have put together a little Picasa web show at the top of this article to give you some suggestions.

Whatever you do respect the Buddha image and contemplate on his serene features and if you can his message of peace,love ,wisdom and compassion.

Have a great day - with love from the Buddha's Face.

Snow and Ice Buddha Statues and Snowmen

Snow and Ice is not something we normally associate with Buddha images,which is why I find the following collection of images so interesting. Our You Tube Buddhas' Face channel just goes from strength to strength now with well over 40,000 hits so to celebrate this auspicious occasion I have collected some fine and interesting images of Buddha statues and sculptures where the Buddha is made out of frozen water be it snow or ice from around the world.

They seem to particularly well represent the Buddha saying 'Nothing is permanent' for as soon as the temperature rises on the ice or snow sculpture then they will disappear into water - similar to the transient nature of the Tibetan sand mandalas of which we have blogged before.

Hope you enjoy the sideshow - the music is by Lisa Gerrard - which we have used before on the Buddha's Face - play in HD for the bests sound and images.

Friday, 14 January 2011

Offering Fruit to the Buddha in Singapore and China

Buddhist devotees particularly in Asia feel regular prostrations to Buddha images in temples and praying for supplication should be accompanied by making offerings to the Buddha. In the picture above we see large amounts of fresh fruit being offered (it may well be at harvest time) in this Buddhist temple in Singapore. In this case apples,oranges and bananas seem to be the dominant fruit.

They often make these offerings in order to create a mood of positive energy and develop personal qualities such as offering with a respectful attitude and gratitude.

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.

Buddha

Amazing Buddha Shaped Pears - Holy Fruit from China

This is the sort of story the Buddha's Face really loves and builds on from our recent blog concerning the citrus fruit known as The Buddha's Hands. Gao Xianzhang a farmer from northern China spent six years perfecting his technique and has produced nearly 10,000 Buddha shaped fruit since he began. The baby fruit are enclosed inside his aerated plastic Buddha moulds which as they grow and push against the plastic barrier take on the shape of the mould.

People believe they bring good luck and fortune and will pay up to $7 a piece for each pear. They have certainly brought good fortune to this innovative Chinese farmer.

“Thirst for existence, O monks, has a specific condition, it is nourished by something, it also does not go without support. And what is that nourishment? It is ignorance.” Buddha

Harry Potter and Buddhism - the Order of the Phoenix

It has been remarked that many Hollywood movies have a 'subliminal' Buddhism theme about growing up , facing the realities of existence and overcoming them to achieve personal liberation and enlightenment.

Previously at the Buddha's Face blog we have written about the Buddhist parables allegedly contained in Peter Seller's last movie Being There and Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. So it should come as no surprise that one of the world's most popular movie franchises - the Harry Potter series has similar claims.

In this well written and thought inspiring contribution from the Buddhist Channel the author maintains that ultimately like us all Harry Potter will have to die but he can overcome death and reach Nirvana if he faces himself and understand the nature of his existence - like the Phoenix in the title of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - he will be reborn !

Even death is not to be feared from one who has lived wisely The Buddha

Amazing Buddha heads made entirely from matchsticks

These amazing Buddha head statues are made entirely from matchsticks and then painted. This meticulous and painstaking work must have taken an incredible time to pull off and is usually the hobbies of prisoners or old folk who have a lot of time on their hands. Just keep them away from naked flames.

Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.

Buddha

Ageing Stone Buddha Statues for the Garden

Weathered Buddha Head covered with moss

Many Buddha statues are today made from stone , cement or concrete and are designed to be displayed to best effects outdoors often in gardens. The Buddha's face has written comprehensively on this subject before such as The Use of Buddhas in Garden Design as well as other articles. One subject we haven't touched on before though is how to age the statues so they fit into and blend naturally into your garden landscape. Cement and concrete in particular can look quite harsh when it is freshly made and at odds with the natural order you are trying to create.

That is where the us of natural (un-preserved ) yogurt can be most useful in accelerating the process of 'naturalisation. It is important to use unpreserved as the sue of preservative chemicals in the more processed varieties will effectively act as a poison and prevent quick and luxuriant growth.

Another tip if it is a Buddha head say which you want to weather and age is to immerse it in a garden pond for a week or so. The porous material will soak up water rand algae present in the pond water and once removed from the pond will take on a aged natural hue.

Amazing Buddha Images - The Tablet Buddha

Today is a day to bring more of the weird and wonderful regarding the Buddha image as it impacts on the creativity and ingenuity of human beings. The Buddha and the Buddhist way can be fairly seen as a panacea for most of the problems of human existence but also as a path to good health. Following the Five precepts and eschewing drugs and alcohol as well as a good diet and way of mind as Buddhist hope to practice is your best guarantee of good health and a purposeful long life. For everything else there's MasterCard or pop a pill to get better.

Rather perversely for my taste the picture above is of a Buddha head covered entirely with pills - whatever will they think of next a Buddha made out from syringes. (hurries off to the web to find out!).

Without health life is not life; it is only a state of langour and suffering - an image of death.

Buddha

The Buddha's Face

The best place to buy wholesale and retail Buddha statues,sculptures and wall panel decor for both the home and garden
Bespoke design available, from small buddha statues to large buddha wall art in colours from natural wood to gold ,all carved by our Buddhist artists and 100%fairtrade.

Visit our Buddhism 101 Enlightenment Project

Ancient Buddha Statues unearthed in Afghanistan

Afghani worker carries away excavated dirt for the Buddhist temple site

A small ancient Buddha statue is found

Remarkably preserved Afghanistan Buddha statues in the Greek style

At a Chinese copper mine in Afghanistan some remarkable Buddha images and statues are being recovered from the dirt. The monastery is thought to be well over 2000 years old and some of the artifacts as can be seen from the pictures are in remarkable condition. The Kabul government are allowing 3 years for the full extent of the site to be adequately excavated and preserved so as to preserve what little this troubled country has from its Buddhist past. One of the Buddha statues is over 10 feet tall and the site is so extensive that some excavators fear it would take a decade or more to fully reveal and preserved for posterity the entirety of the site which is at Mes Aynak which lies 20 miles south of Afghanistan's capital city Kabul. You can see more on the video on You Tube from Reuters.

In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.

Buddha

Buddha Air - Come Fly with Me

Buddha Air is the State owned mainly domestic airline based in Kathmandu in Nepal which started in 1997. Nepal is of course a Buddhist country so it is in honour of the religions founder that they named the airline after him. I did try to access their website when writing thius blog to get more information but it would appear to be down. So maybe I'll stick to Thai Air in the future !

Thursday, 13 January 2011

The Buddha's Hand - Strange Looking Citrus Fruit !

This strange looking South East Asian fruit is called the Buddha's Hand as it looks like the outstretched hand of a monk begging alms on his alms round. It grows predominantly in Asia and fruits from a shrub or small tree. It has a very thick skin and a delightful fragrance and as a consequence the peel is used as a fragrance for perfuming rooms and clothing.

As a result of it's name and association is is also used as a devotional offering in Buddhist temples and the version of the fruit where the 'hand' appear to be closed is preferred as they seem to be in prayer.

The Buddha in Thailand by Bhupen Khakhar

The renowned Indian painter who painted the above picture The Buddha in Thailand has seen his work become collectible and increase dramatically in value. In 2002 when the picture was painted he sold it for $8963 - a princely sum even then. In the next 8 years the picture has risen considerably in value and recently was sold by Christies for a whopping $52500 - a massive increase in appreciation of 486 %. The Buddha who was against the depiction of his image to avoid idolatry and eschewed wealth having been a prince who renounced his earthly power and wealth would not have approved.

Still it is a great painting !

Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind. Buddha `

Buddha App for the Iphone

At the Buddha's Face we are committed to bringing you the latest news about the Buddha and Buddhism from around the web.Today what has been the cutting edge of cool - Apple's IPhone now has a daily motivational Buddha inspiration called the Pocket Buddha for a wallet beating price of $0.99. Sadly (or otherwise) the Buddha's Face doesn't have an IPhone so we can't vouch for it - however an article over at iphonefootrpint seems to like it and recommends it to everyone.

Would the Buddha have had an IPhone - most probably not and nor would he need one but anything is this crowded and sometimes seemingly chaotic world that helps the Buddha's timeless wisdom and message from down the ages to be shared with the human race has got be a good thing - is it not !

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”