Buddha in art

In Theravada Buddhism this was much less the case, and figures of the historical Buddha remain the most common main images in temples and shrines to the present.

Early images were most often of Buddha standing, but seated meditating postures, essentially the lotus position of yoga, came to predominate.

The Buddharupas of India, Sri Lanka, Javanese Sailendra and Cambodian art usually depict a well-proportioned figure, but sometimes he is shown emaciated, in recollection of the Buddha's years of ascetic practices.

Budai, a Chinese Buddhist monk also known as Hotei, is depicted as fat and happy, almost always shown smiling or laughing, and is associated with Maitreya, the future Buddha.

These mudras are as follows:[2] Images of Buddha showing him reclining, represent his Parinirvana or departure into final nirvana at death.

In India early depictions, especially from hotter regions, such as art of Mathura, Buddha is often shown with very thin robes or topless, with most of the body uncovered, or appearing so.