The Suggestion of the Presence of an Inner Breath
February 5th, 2010
A sculpture cataloged in Rowland’s The Evolution of the Buddha Image.

Head of Buddha from Daianji Temple, Japan, Tempyo period, 8th century, p110. “Even in its ruinous condition this head possesses the classic serenity of expression and feeling for sculptured mass that characterized the great masterpieces of Tempyo sculptures” (p142).
“Many Japanese Buddha images… are informed with a feeling of expansive volume described by the Japanese term ryo, which approximates the suggestion of the presence of an inner breath or pneumatic force…” (p31).
February 6th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
In Thailand, a head of a buddha is bad luck; should be the whole body.