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General Characteristics
General Characteristics
The Buddha had an elongated, lengthy body with long appendices (long arms with a span equal to
body length, long fingers, long hands, elongated face, protruding and well-formed nose).
Afghanistan. The sculptors were either descendants of Greeks who settled in the region after Alexander's
arrival or were influenced by Hellenistic traditions. Before any such statues were made, the Buddha was
symbolised by the Chakra, a holy symbol in Buddhism. The chakra also appears on the Sarnath pillar of
Ashoka.
The first representations of the Buddha were made nearly 300 years after his death. Although the holy texts
and canons do contain some information about his looks, their exact authorship and time of writing is
debatable.
Many statues and busts exist where the Buddha and other Boddhisatvas have a moustache. This is in
keeping with the view that a man of significant stature must have a big moustache. Later versions however
do not show the moustache and the Buddha is always clean shaven even during his days before he attained
Buddha-hood.
1. He has feet with a level sole (Pali: supati thapado). Note: "feet with level tread,/ so that he places
his foot evenly on the ground,/ lifts it evenly,/ and touches the ground evenly with the entire sole."
(Lakkhana Sutta)
2. He has the mark of a thousand-spoked wheel on the soles of his feet (Pali: he thapadatalesu
cakkani jatani).
9. He can touch his knees with the palms of his hands without bending. (Pali: thitako va anonamanto).
11. His skin is the color of gold (Pali: suva n nava no). "His body is more beautiful than all the gods."
(Lakkhana sutta)
12. His skin is so fine that no dust can attach to it (Pali: sukhumacchavi).
13. His body hairs are separate with one hair per pore (Pali: ekekalomo).
14. His body hair is blue-black, the color of collyrium, and curls clockwise in rings. (Pali: uddhagalomo).
16. He has the seven convexities of the flesh (Pali: satusado). Note: "the seven convex surfaces,/ on
both hands, both feet, both shoulders, and his trunk." (Lakkhana Sutta)
17. He has an immense torso, like that of a lion (Pali: sihapuba dhakayo).
18. The furrow between his shoulders is filled in (Pali: pitantara mso).
19. The distance from hand-to-hand and head-to-toe is equal (Pali: nigrodhaparima n dalo). Note:
incidentally, these are also the ideal proportions according to Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.
23. He has 40 teeth (Pali: cata.lisadanto). Note: The average person normally has 32 teeth.
25. His teeth are without gaps in-between (Pali: avira ladanto).
29. He has very blue eyes (Pali: abhi nila netto). Note 1: "very (abhi) blue (nila) eyes (netto)" is the
literal translation. Nila is the word used to describe a sapphire and the color of the sea, but also the
color of a rain cloud. It also defines the color of the Hindu God Krishna. Note 2: "His lashes are like
a cow's; his eyes are blue./ Those who know such things declare/ 'A child which such fine eyes/ will
be one who's looked upon with joy./ If a layman, thus he'll be/ Pleasing to the sight of all./ If
32. His head is like a royal turban (Pali: u nahisiso). Note that this denotes his cranial protrusion, visible
on Buddhist iconography.
They are taken from early pre-Buddhist Indian writings. Certainly Gautama had some of these
characteristics and may have developed more throughout his life. Many of them would make him a
mythological creature instead of the man of peace and compassion he is known to have been. It is not
6. His fingernails and toenails are smooth and rounded without ridges.
21. The lines on the palms of his hands have a rosy tint.
30. His upper and lower lips are equal in size and have a rosy tint.
42. His body emanates a halo of light extending around him for two meters.
46. The tips of his bodily hair are neither curved nor bent.
52. His sinews and tendons are deeply embedded in the flesh.