Burma, XIXth Century, Bronze Maravijaya Buddha

Origin: Burma
Antiquity: XIXth century
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 20 x 9.8 cm
Condition: Small missing on the top of the
headdress and on the left side of the base
Origin: Old private collection

Old Buddha Maravijaya in bronze. The Buddha is represented seated on a small tiered pedestal in the vajraparyanka position, attitude of the diamond lotus or half lotus. He is in meditation, the left hand placed in his lap in the meditation position (dhyanamudra), the right hand touching the ground in bhumisparsa mudra (gesture of the Taking of the Earth to witness). He is dressed in the uttarasangha monastic robe, leaving part of the chest and the right shoulder uncovered, a section of the material falling from the left side. The youthful appearance of the face is characterized by fine browbones joining at the base of the nose. Half-closed almond eyes frame the latter overcoming a mouth sketching a slight smile. The ears with the lobes distended by the weight of the jewels go down to the shoulders and symbolize the royal origin of the Buddha. The head receives a hair delimited by a fine incised border and receives at the top the ushnisha (cranial protuberance) surmounted by an ornament in the shape of a lotus button.

The scene represented here refers to a fundamental episode in the life of the Awakened: demonic forces have just tried to overthrow him because their king, Mara, claims his place under the bodhi tree. As these forces proclaim the power of their master, Mara demands that the Buddha produce a witness to his spiritual awakening. The Buddha is content to touch the ground with his right hand, and the Earth immediately responds "I am a witness". Defeated, Mara and her henchmen disappear. The morning star appears in the sky. This moment of enlightenment is the founding experience of the whole Buddhist tradition.