Existing comment:
Jina Seated in Meditation
c. 11th century
This sculpture depicts one of the jinas, the Jain savior-saints who are perfected beings and enlightened teachers. It is possible that this image represents the jinu Mahavira, the last of the twenty-four junus and the historical founder of Jainism. Jainism is an ethical philosophy that arose around the same time as Buddhism (the sixth century BC) that focuses on the practices of nonviolence an renunciation to reach release from the cycles of rebirth. Seated in a pose of meditation, the monumental simplicity of this image epitomizes the abstract conception of these beings who no longer have bodies -- their sculpted forms are not manifestations of divinity but reminders of perfection attained. The sculpture bears a close resemblance to Jain bronzes from the site of Singanaikuppam if the South Arcot district of Tamil Nadu. |