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The Bodhisattva's Body

Decent Essays

The elaborateness of the bodhisattva remains in the figure as whole and in its separate parts, specifically the headdress and its sword halo, the cloth, and the lotus flower seat. As a whole, the bodhisattva is made up of multiple parts: the sword halo, the headdress, the bodhisattva’s body and arms, the lotus flower seat, and the earth base. The sword halo appears to be slightly detached from the bodhisattva’s body, mostly connected to the lotus flower seat. The halo gives the body more depth because it provides a background. This means that the bodhisattva is not in need of having a highly decorated backdrop behind it, especially because the halo creates an interesting shadow. The shadow is defined by the holes within the halo and the swords …show more content…

The sheer amount of weapons the bodhisattva, including the ax, trident, and spear, strikes fear in those who disobey. This image instills a sense of reverence because of the danger that could come from being bad in nature. It also promotes the desire to worship and become a devout Buddhist because of the consequences that one could face on other paths of life. If on Buddhist path, one has this bodhisattva to protect and guide them. It elevates the value of Buddhism and its teachings; the viewer will see Buddhism as the way of life that will help them reach Heaven and achieve an afterlife that other religions cannot achieve. To go along with the weapons, there are eight arms in total, all doing different things: between holding objects and signing mudras. It is overwhelming to see eight arms because of how otherworldly it is; furthermore, the arms all have their own function. This being has the capability to control more than two arms, without any difficulty. The admiration for the power and strength of the bodhisattva develops as the viewer takes in the the arms and weaponry. It would be necessary to take multiple visits to see the bodhisattva to begin to process everything the arms are doing and what their positions are. While this is outrightly stunning, the finer details remain to be found by the viewer, an example being the patterned

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