Burmese Yadanarpon Buddha seated on Elephants

Burmese Yadanarpon Buddha seated on Elephants

AGE: – 19th Century Yadanarpon period (Early Mandalay)
CONSTRUCTION: – Alabaster
HEIGHT: – 67cm
WIDTH: – 44cm
DEPTH: – 31cm
Weight: – 57.7 kg
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19th Century Burmese Yadanarpon Buddha seated on Elephants. Each elephant converges into two rear views of the elephants. (Early Mandalay period). This Buddha statue is shown with a frilled lapel seen in most Mandalay-style statues with hair curls carved into the stone.

In Buddhism, the elephant is a symbol of mental strength, a popular animal represented in Buddhist iconography in many ways such as this representation on this bronze Buddha statue where the Buddha is shown with the fingertips of his right hand sitting on top of the elephant depicting the “taming of the elephant” symbolizing the Buddha’s ability to conquer aggression and chaos through mental focus and loving-kindness, exemplified by his calming of the fierce elephant Nalagiri. Another depiction of the taming of the elephant sometimes shows the elephant kneeling before the Buddha. This scene is frequently seen in the rare Burmese andagu stone stele.

A grey elephant symbolizes the uncontrolled mind, it can run wild at any moment and destroy everything in its path. After practising dharma and taming the mind, it can be brought under control and is symbolized by a white powerful and strong elephant which can be directed wherever one wishes and can destroy all obstacles in his path.
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