Emaciated Buddha Statue

Although it’s not widely recognized, this is an example of an emaciated Buddha statue. I’d never seen one when friends gave it to me as a gift in the 1990’s. They got it in Thailand from an antiques dealer in the 1970’s or 1980’s. They were told it is originally from Thailand, although I don’t know a specific location.

Background

I’ve seen plenty of chubby Buddha statues at restaurants, but I’d never heard of the “emaciated Buddha.” I learned this figure represents a time when Siddhartha meditated and ate only one grain of rice a day. My understanding is he was trying to obtain enlightenment through this extreme practice, but he eventually abandoned it. He was able to reach Nirvana through his “middle way” which didn’t involve such extreme measures.

Specific Features

This Buddha statue features him seated with his right hand on his knee and his fingers pointed down. His left hand is at his left shoulder in a closed fist facing his shoulder. I can’t tell if he is holding something or if his hand is in a certain position. His hair style consists of rows of ringlets all over his head, which is similar to the pattern on his seat.

The statue is bronze and weighs 10.75 ounces. It is not tall at 11.5 centimeters (4 1/2 inches). The base is very thin at approximately 2.5 centimeters thick (around 1 inch). It is just over 6 centimeters long (about 2 1/2 inches). If you look at the bottom, you can see the base is hollow. Generally, the statue is a ruddy brown color with some green, white and lighter brown in the patina.

I’ve been told this Buddha statue was probably made by a Buddhist monk to hold while he meditated. I’m not Buddhist, and I have not been able to verify that was ever a meditation practice. I was also told it’s from the 18th Century, but I have no way to validate that. Unfortunately, I’ve found no credible resources which can help verify information about the statue.

If anyone has information that can help tell us the history of this object, we’d love to hear it. Please contact us or leave comments. Until then, I’ll be happy my friends gave me such a unique and beautiful gift.