Parinirvana
The use of symbols, images, and pieces of art are prevalent in Buddhism. They are used for various reasons and ceremonies. Each symbol, image, or piece of art found in Buddhism has a unique meaning as well as purpose. For example, according to Rosen (191), Buddhism uses certain images during the worship of deities. These images are considered the physical representations of God, his divine associates, or even his incarnations. Rosen (191) states that these images allow easy access to God. Leidy (31) states that the use of images or symbols in Buddhism can be traced back to when Siddhartha’s disciples, under his instructions, were supposed to draw his image on a piece of cloth. They were then to use the image as the focus of their offerings. However, it is important to note that some images and symbols were made to help men have a deep sense of admiration and respect for the Buddha and acquire religious merit (Leidy, 31). According to Leidy (32), numerous sculptures in Buddhism were created because of the powerful Kushan Empire especially in Pakistan, northern India, and Afghanistan. However, on close inspection, on a religious and spiritual level, these images were created to stress the importance of developing a personal relationship with a deity.
Parinirvana is a well-known object of art in Buddhism. The object depicts a man lying on a bed. He seems to be sleeping peacefully. Many people, who have various emotions on their faces, surround the man. Most of them have placed their hands on their heads. The expression on these people’s faces is sorrow. Their expressions show a mixture of sadness and shock. Two men have their hands on the sleeping man. One of them is touching his feet while the other seems to be touching the pillow on which the sleeping man is laying his head on. On the top left and top right corners of the object are people who seem to be on top of tress. In front of the sleeping man is a man who seems to be meditating. The position in which the man sits shows that he is meditating. After visualizing the object for 30 minutes, I was able to view the object differently compared to when I first glanced at it. I realized that the different people in the Parinirvana have a certain meaning and represent different types of people in society. Throughout this experience, I was relaxed. I cleared my mind completely to ensure total concentration.
The different people depicted in the Parinirvana represent the various kinds of people who are present whenever someone dies. I concluded that the man lying on the bed was not sleeping. Rather, he is dead. I also concluded that he was a well-known person in society. This is because of the variety of people who are around him on his deathbed. I was able to tell from the reactions of those around him. The first kind of people around him are those who have their hands on him and his deathbed. I figured that they represent close family members of the deceased. They look sorrowful, as would any person who would lose a family member. The people with their hands to their heads are the rest of the public who are shocked and saddened by the death. People’s deaths always come as a shock to the public who in most cases had not been keeping close tabs with the deceased, unlike close family members who, in most cases, are not shocked but just sorrowful. Finally, there is one man who seems to be meditating at the bottom of the deathbed. I figured that this man understands that death is not the end. That there is life after death. As such, he is neither shocked nor saddened by the man’s death. An article in the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center (2) shows that the death of a Buddha in the human form does not mean his ultimate destruction.
This idea is perhaps the most significant one in the piece of art. The idea that a Buddha does not die. According to Williams (176), physical death is simply the death of a Buddha’s present manifestation. Perhaps the significance of the Parinirvana is to show how Buddhists ought to treat death. They ought not to mourn as is normally done in other religions. This is because physical death is not the end. Williams (176) notes that a Buddha’s true body takes either of two forms. The first true form is the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha’s teachings live long after they have physically died and lead to the enlightenment of many people. The second true form of a Buddha is his qualities. These qualities once possessed to their fullest degree made the deceased a Buddha thus can also help his followers attain the same status (Williams, 176). The Parinirvana is significant to the Buddhist religion as it explains the nature of death, explains how death ought to be viewed, and lastly how to behave when a Buddha dies.
Works Cited
Leidy, Denise Patry. The Art of Buddhism: An Introduction to its History and Meaning. Boston: Shambhala, 2008. Print.
Rosen, Steven J. Essential Hinduism. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 2006. Print.
Williams, Paul. Mahayana Buddhism : The Doctrinal Foundations. London ; New York, Routledge, 2010.
Minnesota Zen Meditation Center. Nirvana Sutra.