Factors to Consider While Buying a Buddha Statue

The calm and smiling face of Buddha has become a common sight in homes, restaurants and in commercial spaces. While most people believe that the statue of Buddha is a symbol of peace and harmony, few others consider it as a classic addition to the interior décor of their home or garden. People who wish to buy Lord Buddha statues online are often spoilt for choice as the sellers offer a variety of options in terms of material, postures, size and price.

While buying a Buddha statue for the home, most people often consider only the appearance of the statue while in reality there is much more to it. Read on to find out what are the essential factors to be considered while purchasing the statue of the “enlightened” one.

Laughing Buddha (Budai) and Buddha Shakyamuni are different

It is quite common to see some stores selling statues of the Budai, fondly referred to as laughing Buddha which is accepted as a symbol of peace and prosperity. Budai was a Chinese monk who was well-known for his generosity. Shakyamuni Buddha is the founder of Buddhism and the one who preached some of the noblest lessons to mankind. They are two different entities and what we are looking for here is the smiling, calm face of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Choose the right posture of the statue

A statue of Buddha may either represent his whole body with different hand postures or is a representation of only his head. While purchasing the head-only statue of Buddha is not wrong, it is recommended to choose the whole body which is a powerful representation of spirituality. While browsing through statues with different hand postures, the safest choice would be the one in meditating position or the one in which, his left hand is pointing to the ground (this is the posture that Buddha practised right before he attained enlightenment). Yet again, there is no right or wrong as far as the posture is concerned and house owners can experiment with a collection of statues representing different “mudras”.

Choose an expensive statue made from a high quality material

Good quality metals like brass offer an extended lifetime for the statue and also help to fight natural environmental conditions when placed in an open space. Additionally, it is believed that spending one’s wealth to buy a holy object is a spiritual sacrifice and a rightful act of generosity.

Pick the right location for placing the statue

Buddha statues can be purchased in any size as long as we have sufficient space to place them safely. It is best to avoid the bedroom or the bathroom and the statue must never be placed directly onto the ground. Place the statue on a clean table and at the eye level or even higher. Buddha statues can also be placed in gardens and in the patio but only on a raised platform.

It does not matter what has induced the decision to buy Lord Buddha statues online but with these factors in mind, individuals can be certain to embellish their home with a beautiful Buddha statue without causing any cultural turbulence.