The first Buddha statues came from the Kandahar region of what is now Afghanistan. The inspired and talented craftsmen who carved and sculpted them were either descendants of the ancient Greeks who arrived in the area following Alexander the Great’s arrival or were local artists who were influenced by the Hellenistic style.
Initially during his life the Buddha discouraged physical representations of his image as he was keen to prevent a personality cult developing and saw himself very much as a man teaching rather than a living god. This philosophy lives on in much Buddhist tradition practiced throughout the world. However we are human all too human and the serene and contemplative image of the Buddha has become a universal symbol of compassion,peace and deep understanding of the world. In fact one of our main wood carvers Khun Kom Wasingwong at The Buddha's Face in Thailand says that "Buddha images should show compassion and wisdom".
Before any such statues or images were made, the Buddha himself was symbolised by the Dharma Wheel or a stupa.
So a result of his discouragement the first Buddha statues,sculptures and images were made over 300 years after his death. Although the holy texts and canons have some information about the way he looked very little is known of who exactly wrote them and when they were written.
There are some statues and Buddha heads existing where he has a moustache - this was symbolic at the time of men of high status. However later he is always shown as being clean shaven and so is represented as being without a beard or moustache. In the Pali Scriptures a there is a passage which is oft quoted as a key narrative as he began on the journey for his quest for enlightenment.
"So, later , while still a young black-haired young man endowed with the blessings of youth and in the first part of my life — and while my parents, unwilling, were crying - I shaved off my hair and beard, put on the saffron robe and went forth from my home life to that of being homeless."
The Buddha
