Figure 7 / Buddha

Sakyamuni Buddha Beneath the Bodhi Tree (carved schist, India, C. late ninth-early tenth century A.D)

plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha

iep.utm.edu/buddha

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Dinesh ^club

The Buddha’s enlightenment is the most important single moment in Oriental mythology, a counterpart of the Crucifixion of the West. The Buddha beneath the Tree of Enlightenment (the Bo Tree) and Christ on Holy Rood (the Tree of Redemption) are analogous figures, incorporating an archetypal World Savior, World Tree motif which is of immemorial antiquity. Many other variants of the theme will be found among the episodes to come. The immovable Spot of the mount Calvary are images the World of Navel, or World Axis

The calling of the Earth to witness is represented in traditional Buddhist art by images of the Buddha, sitting in the classic Buddha posture, with the right hand resting on the right knee and its fingers lightly touching the ground

The point is that Buddhahood, Enlightenment, cannot be communicated, but only the way to Enlightenment. This doctrine of the incommunicability of the Truth which is beyond name and forms is basic to the great Oriental, as well as to the Platonic traditions. Whereas the truths of science are communicable, being demonstrable hypotheses rationality found on observable facts, ritual, mythology and metaphysics ar ebut guides to the brink of transcendent illumination, the final step to which must be taken by each in his own silent experience. Hence one of the Sanskrit terms for sage is “muni,” “the silent one,” ‘Sankyamuni’ (one of the titles of Gautama Buddha) means “the silent one or sage (muni” of the Sakya clan.” Though he is the founder of a widely taught world religion, the ultimate core of his doctrine remains concealed, necessarily, in silence. ~ Page 25

2 years ago. Edited 2 years ago.

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