◎ The Origin of the Buddha Image
　　Have you ever missed anyone before? After his enlightenment, the Buddha went to the Trayastrimsa Heaven to teach the Dharma to his mother. During the Buddha's absence from the human world, King Udayana of Kausambi thought of the Buddha day and night. In order to relieve himself of the longing that he had for the Buddha, the king commissioned an artist to carve a five-foot tall figure of the Buddha in sandalwood and this is the beginning of the first Buddha image.

◎The Appearances of the Buddha Image
　　What is the difference between the appearance of the Buddha and ordinary people? The Buddha has thirty-two distinguished marks on his body that are remarkable and wondrous, such as the lock of white hair between the eyebrows and the protuberance shaped like a topknot on the crown of the head.

◎The Postures of the Buddha Image
　　What kind of a pose will you strike when you are about to have your pictures taken? Similarly, what kind of posture do you think that the Buddha will be depicted with in Buddhist art to convey a sense of unsurpassed dignity?
　　（1）The Walking Posture：When walking, the Buddha always looked straight ahead, without losing his concentration. He would always take gentle steps forward, like a mild breeze, without dragging his feet.
　　（2） The Standing Posture：The Buddha would always stand straight up, facing forward in a calm manner. While his body is perfectly proportioned and symmetrical, his back is straight like the pine and the cypress.
　　（3） The Sitting Posture：In sitting, the Buddha's body is always relaxed, with utmost concentration of the mind. Although relaxed, the Buddha is never restless, but steady like a big bell. Following are three types of sitting posture:
　(a) Full Lotus Position: the legs are tucked in tightly together and crossed at the ankles with the bottoms of both feet visible facing upward and resting on opposite thighs. This posture is also known as the “Meditation Position.”
　(b) Half-Lotus Position: the right leg rests squarely atop the left, or vice versa.
　(c) Supporting Position: the body sits upright on a seat, with head straight and chest out. The legs are down naturally with feet resting squarely on the ground.
　　（4）The Reclining Posture ：When would the Buddha be lying down? When the Buddha is resting or passing into parinirvana, he is shown to be lying on his right side, with his right hand supporting his head like a pillow and his left hand resting flat atop his left leg. This serene position, also known as the “Parinirvana Posture,” is symbolic of the Buddha's passing into nirvana.

--------------------- Top from left： 1. The Standing Posture、2. The Walking Posture 3. The Sitting Posture、4. The Reclining Posture ---------------------- middle from left： 1. The Walking Posture、2. The Standing Posture 、3. 4. The Sitting Posture ---------------------- bottom from left： 1 . The Sitting Posture、2. The Reclining Posture