| Avendales is pleased to offer collectors and | | | | uttarasanga (the upper robe of the Buddhist |
| religious practitioners alike a line of exquisitely | | | | monastic garment, the "triple robe" or tricivara) is |
| hand-carved Buddha statues. These Buddha | | | | worn in the open mode and the sanghati (the |
| statues are brought to you from village | | | | outer robe of this garment) is folded decoratively |
| communities all over the countryside of Thailand. | | | | on the left shoulder. This "Mandalay" style of |
| These statues are marketed in accordance with | | | | Buddhist statue developed towards the end of |
| the principles and practices of Fair Trade, adding | | | | the eighteenth or in the early nineteenth century. |
| strict quality control and professional organization, | | | | Mandalay was the last capital (1860-1885) of the |
| using profits to help Thai artisans maintain their | | | | last independent Burmese Kingdom before |
| traditional skills. Theravada Buddhism has been the | | | | annexation by the British after the Third |
| predominant religion in Thailand since early | | | | Anglo-Burmese War in 1885. In addition, one can |
| recorded history. For over 2500 years the people | | | | choose a Sitting Thai Buddha Statue. 16 inches |
| of Thailand have followed the peaceful and | | | | high and weighing nearly 20 pounds, this statue |
| self-reflective teachings of the Buddha, or | | | | features the flame of Illumination rising up from |
| "Dharma", which evolved directly out of the | | | | the Buddha's seventh or Crown chakra at the top |
| "dharma" of Hinduism, which in that context is | | | | of the head. This statue embodies the Theravada |
| "the way things work". These teachings inform all | | | | Buddhism of Thailand. One of the best pieces is |
| parts of the society within the kingdom, uniting | | | | the Large Standing Royal Ayuddhaya Buddha |
| the Thai people into a harmonious whole. One fine | | | | Statue. Five feet tall and weighing 25 pounds like |
| choice is the Large Standing Japanese Buddha | | | | the aforementioned standing Buddha statue, this |
| Statue. Standing five feet high and weighing 25 | | | | work of art embodies the "illuminated royalty" of |
| pounds, this statue embodies that time in the 6th | | | | ancient Thailand. The inscription of King |
| century when Buddhism was imported to Japan | | | | Ramkhamhaeng the Great (1292) mentions that a |
| from China and Korea in the form of a present | | | | monk from the southern province of Nakorn Sri |
| from the friendly Korean kingdom of Kudara | | | | Dhammaraja - who had studied the Pali Buddhist |
| (Paikche). At this time, although Buddhism was | | | | Canon (or Tipitaka) from beginning to end - lived |
| welcomed by the ruling nobles as Japan's new | | | | at the Forest Temple in the kingdom of Sukhothai |
| state religion, it did not initially spread among the | | | | and was the Supreme Patriarch (Pali sangharaja) |
| common people due to its complex theories. | | | | of the monkhood. This statement is one of the |
| During the Nara Period of the 8th century, the | | | | earliest statements used by a king to legitimize his |
| great Buddhist monasteries in the capital city of | | | | right to rule in accordance with Buddhist |
| Nara, such as Todaiji, gained strong political | | | | righteousness. The "New Style" Large Reclining |
| influence. This problem of politically ambitious and | | | | Mandalay Buddha Statue shows the divine one in |
| militant monasteries remained a main issue for the | | | | much-deserved and sublime repose. Five feet tall |
| governments over many centuries of Japanese | | | | and weighing 25 pounds, this statue embodies a |
| history. The Large Standing Japanese Buddha | | | | Buddhist prophecy for Burma. Unlike other |
| Statue takes one back to those turbulent times. | | | | Burmese towns, Mandalay did not grow from a |
| Another exquisite offering of Buddha statues is | | | | smaller settlement, although a small village Hti |
| the Sitting Royal Mandalay Buddha Statue. 20 | | | | Baunga did exist nearby. Mandalay was set up in |
| inches tall and weighing 22 pounds, this statue is | | | | an empty area at the foot of the 775 ft high |
| made in the classical Mandalay Buddha style. A | | | | Mandalay Hill according to a prophecy made by |
| broad band stretches across the forehead, and | | | | the Buddha that in that exact place a great city, a |
| the hair hugs the head in tight curls and covers a | | | | metropolis of Buddhism, would come into |
| broad prominent ushnish (a Sanskrit word | | | | existence on the occasion of the 2400th jubilee |
| referring to the protuberance at the top of the | | | | of Buddhism. Allegedly this is precisely what |
| head of a Buddha Rupa representing the flame of | | | | happened. These and other beautiful Buddhist |
| supreme illumination). There is no lotus finial above. | | | | statues are carried by Avendales for enhancing |
| The images are frequently seated in vajrasana (a | | | | your home or office artistically, historically, or |
| Yoga posture designed to remove drowsiness, | | | | spiritually. |
| strengthen the spine, help digestion, and enhance | | | | Find these in our What's New department at as |
| meditation) with the right hand in the bhumisparsa | | | | well as hundreds of other unusual home and |
| mudra and the left lying in the lap. The | | | | garden furnishings, gifts and children's department. |