how do we know what the buddha looked like?
how do we know what the buddha looked like?
Are there any descriptions of how the buddha looked in the cannon? Where does this familar image of buddha come from?
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
Hi diamind,
I don't think anyone can know for sure what the Buddha looked like around 2,500 years ago. This is short article written by Ajahn Sujato "On the 32 Marks" :
/sujato.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/on-the-32-marks/

I don't think anyone can know for sure what the Buddha looked like around 2,500 years ago. This is short article written by Ajahn Sujato "On the 32 Marks" :
/sujato.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/on-the-32-marks/

Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
To study is to know the texts,
To practice is to know your defilements,
To attain the goal is to know and let go.
- Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo
With no struggling, no thinking,
the mind, still,
will see cause and effect
vanishing in the Void.
Attached to nothing, letting go:
Know that this is the way
to allay all stress.
- Upasika Kee Nanayan
To practice is to know your defilements,
To attain the goal is to know and let go.
- Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo
With no struggling, no thinking,
the mind, still,
will see cause and effect
vanishing in the Void.
Attached to nothing, letting go:
Know that this is the way
to allay all stress.
- Upasika Kee Nanayan
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
Other relevant Dhamma Wheel topics:
Buddha Statues: Hairstyle?
Why wasn't the Buddha's head shaved?
How did historical Buddha looked like?
Buddha Statues: Hairstyle?
Why wasn't the Buddha's head shaved?
How did historical Buddha looked like?
- rightviewftw
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Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
Afaik first "images" that we have are on coins dated ~100BC
It is largely believed that the Buddha had himself prohibited his images, though there is not much support for this apart from a passage from the Vinaya of the Sarvastivadins, assumingly there is a passage where: "Anathapindika asks the Buddha if images of him are not allowed to be made, may they not at least make images of Bodhisattas?" And The Buddha allows making images of the Bodhisattas.
I personally don't keep images or statues anymore, finding it somewhat offensive even.
It is largely believed that the Buddha had himself prohibited his images, though there is not much support for this apart from a passage from the Vinaya of the Sarvastivadins, assumingly there is a passage where: "Anathapindika asks the Buddha if images of him are not allowed to be made, may they not at least make images of Bodhisattas?" And The Buddha allows making images of the Bodhisattas.
I personally don't keep images or statues anymore, finding it somewhat offensive even.
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Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
In the suttas, I recall reading that the Buddha's skin appeared golden, he had dark hair & blue eyes, that he was on the thinner side (legs like/as slim as deer's legs?), and that he otherwise looked like every other monk in the darkness (a visiting King could not discern which monk was the Buddha when he was sitting among the other members of the Sangha).
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Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
We have a few canonical descriptions from the buddha or those who happened to observe him. Some of the marks may be subtle or undetectable to the untrained eye, but his eyes were blue, he had black hair, he was bald, and he had a fuzzy white mole in between his eyes. The marks are explained in DN 30 as the auspicious results of previous good deeds.
16. 'In what has the world originated?' — so said the Yakkha Hemavata, — 'with what is the world intimate? by what is the world afflicted, after having grasped at what?' (167)
17. 'In six the world has originated, O Hemavata,' — so said Bhagavat, — 'with six it is intimate, by six the world is afflicted, after having grasped at six.' (168)
- Hemavatasutta
links:
https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/index.htm
http://thaiforestwisdom.org/canonical-texts/
http://seeingthroughthenet.net/
https://www.dhammatalks.org/index.html
17. 'In six the world has originated, O Hemavata,' — so said Bhagavat, — 'with six it is intimate, by six the world is afflicted, after having grasped at six.' (168)
- Hemavatasutta
links:
https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/index.htm
http://thaiforestwisdom.org/canonical-texts/
http://seeingthroughthenet.net/
https://www.dhammatalks.org/index.html
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
Your telling me Buddha talks about bodhisattvas in the pali cannon?rightviewftw wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:55 pmAfaik first "images" that we have are on coins dated ~100BC
It is largely believed that the Buddha had himself prohibited his images, though there is not much support for this apart from a passage from the Vinaya of the Sarvastivadins, assumingly there is a passage where: "Anathapindika asks the Buddha if images of him are not allowed to be made, may they not at least make images of Bodhisattas?" And The Buddha allows making images of the Bodhisattas.
I personally don't keep images or statues anymore, finding it somewhat offensive even.
- rightviewftw
- Posts: 2426
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 8:50 pm
- Contact:
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
I have not read the Vinaya of Sarvastavadins but the Sutta do state that the Buddha talked about himself as Bodhisatta prior to attainment of Buddhahood, here are a couple examples;diamind wrote: ↑Tue Jul 24, 2018 6:17 amYour telling me Buddha talks about bodhisattvas in the pali cannon?rightviewftw wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:55 pmAfaik first "images" that we have are on coins dated ~100BC
It is largely believed that the Buddha had himself prohibited his images, though there is not much support for this apart from a passage from the Vinaya of the Sarvastivadins, assumingly there is a passage where: "Anathapindika asks the Buddha if images of him are not allowed to be made, may they not at least make images of Bodhisattas?" And The Buddha allows making images of the Bodhisattas.
I personally don't keep images or statues anymore, finding it somewhat offensive even.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
Last edited by rightviewftw on Tue Jul 24, 2018 6:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
The Buddha refers to himself in such terms:diamind wrote: ↑Tue Jul 24, 2018 6:17 amYour telling me Buddha talks about bodhisattvas in the pali cannon?rightviewftw wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:55 pmAfaik first "images" that we have are on coins dated ~100BC
It is largely believed that the Buddha had himself prohibited his images, though there is not much support for this apart from a passage from the Vinaya of the Sarvastivadins, assumingly there is a passage where: "Anathapindika asks the Buddha if images of him are not allowed to be made, may they not at least make images of Bodhisattas?" And The Buddha allows making images of the Bodhisattas.
I personally don't keep images or statues anymore, finding it somewhat offensive even.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.htmlThe Blessed One said, "Monks, before my self-awakening, when I was still just an unawakened Bodhisatta,
Some translators render "Bodhisatta" as "one intent on awakening", but it looks as if the meaning is clear. In the Jataka Tales it is used regarding previous births, and in the suttas it normally refers to the Buddha's life in this world before he became enlightened.
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
Did Buddha ever talk about the previous Buddhas? Or future Buddhas and how they looked?Aloka wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 4:44 pmHi diamind,
I don't think anyone can know for sure what the Buddha looked like around 2,500 years ago. This is short article written by Ajahn Sujato "On the 32 Marks" :
/sujato.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/on-the-32-marks/
![]()
- salayatananirodha
- Posts: 292
- Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 1:34 am
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn14diamind wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:16 pmDid Buddha ever talk about the previous Buddhas? Or future Buddhas and how they looked?Aloka wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 4:44 pmHi diamind,
I don't think anyone can know for sure what the Buddha looked like around 2,500 years ago. This is short article written by Ajahn Sujato "On the 32 Marks" :
/sujato.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/on-the-32-marks/
![]()
16. 'In what has the world originated?' — so said the Yakkha Hemavata, — 'with what is the world intimate? by what is the world afflicted, after having grasped at what?' (167)
17. 'In six the world has originated, O Hemavata,' — so said Bhagavat, — 'with six it is intimate, by six the world is afflicted, after having grasped at six.' (168)
- Hemavatasutta
links:
https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/index.htm
http://thaiforestwisdom.org/canonical-texts/
http://seeingthroughthenet.net/
https://www.dhammatalks.org/index.html
17. 'In six the world has originated, O Hemavata,' — so said Bhagavat, — 'with six it is intimate, by six the world is afflicted, after having grasped at six.' (168)
- Hemavatasutta
links:
https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/index.htm
http://thaiforestwisdom.org/canonical-texts/
http://seeingthroughthenet.net/
https://www.dhammatalks.org/index.html
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
Buddha's answer...
One who sees the Dhamma sees me;
one who sees me sees the Dhamma.
Yo dhammam passati, so mam passati.
Yo mam passati, so dhammam passati
https://suttacentral.net/sn22.87/en/bodhi
now here = nowhere
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
We can't really say what the historical Buddha actually looked like. Buddhist scriptures provides some clues, but modern day Indian genetics can sort of help us put the pieces together.
This late Indian actor, his granddaugther, and holy Sadhu are vestiges of the ancient Aryans. The blue eyes, black hair, tall stature( I read somewhere that the Buddha was between 6ft and 6ft7).




"He, the Blessed One, is indeed the Noble Lord, the Perfectly Enlightened One;
He is impeccable in conduct and understanding, the Serene One, the Knower of the Worlds;
He trains perfectly those who wish to be trained; he is Teacher of gods and men; he is Awake and Holy. "
--------------------------------------------
"The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One,
Apparent here and now, timeless, encouraging investigation,
Leading to liberation, to be experienced individually by the wise. "
Re: how do we know what the buddha looked like?
Did buddha ever say NOT to make images of him?
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