Reclining Buddha

According to the receipt furnished by the seller, this figure is an "old brass Buddha from North Bali," but stylistically this seems unlikely. The features are more similar to mainland Southeast Asian figures than to Indonesian ones, and there are in any case few Buddha figures produced in Bali outside the tourist market.

The reclining Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) is a major element of Buddhist iconography. It usually represents the historical Buddha during his last illness at the age of 80, about to enter nirvana. He is lying on his right side, his head resting on a cushion or leaning on his right elbow, supporting his head with his hand.

In Thai Buddhist iconography, however, there are at least two interpretations of this position, and to understand the difference it is important to take note of the right arm position. When the right hand is supporting the head as in this example, it signifies that the Buddha is merely resting, and is derived from the story of the Buddha and the giant Asurindarahu who wished to see the Buddha but refused to bow down before him. The Buddha appeared to the giant while recumbent, and then showed him all of heaven and all of the heavenly figures that were larger than the giant, thus humbling him. Reclining Buddha statues are frequently very large, and this is possibly due to the significance of size in this story.

Purchased by Sally Nelson on 5 Sept 2000 from Willem van den Bosch Antieken Curiosen in Delft, Netherlands, for 290 guilders ($116.50).

65 x 20.5cm; antiqued black brass.