Votive Panel - Antique Khmer Style Bronze Naga Buddha Votive Panel - 14.5cm/6"

Votive Panel - Antique Khmer Style Bronze Naga Buddha Votive Panel - 14.5cm/6"

Measures (Height) 14.5cm/6"

A beautiful antique Khmer style votive panel, depicting an antique 12th century post-Angkor Bayon style bronze triptych of the meditation Buddha, Vishnu and Lakshmi.

Here Buddha is seated on a three-tired throne, with the flaring head of a giant Naga, the serpent King Muchalinda, rising behind protectively behind. His hands are in the Dhyana mudra, the gesture of Meditation.

Buddha is flanked by Vishnu and Lakshmi. A not unusual representation of three deities that were significant in Khmer culture during the Bayon period. Here both Vishnu and Lakshmi are stood sambhanga on a simple pedestal.

Above this triptych can seen a seated Enlightenment Buddha, standing Buddha and Hevajra - one of the main yidams (a fully enlightened being) in Tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism.  

Votive panels in Buddhism hold deep spiritual and cultural significance, serving as expressions of devotion, gratitude, and the aspiration for enlightenment. These panels, often found in temples, monasteries, caves, and shrines, are created as offerings by devotees or patrons and feature intricate depictions of the Buddha, bodhisattvas, or scenes from Buddhist teachings.

They play an essential role in Buddhist ritual practice and art, embodying the intersection of devotion and artistic expression while reflecting key aspects of Buddhist beliefs about merit-making, karma, and spiritual progress.

Votive panels or plaques, such as this, were produced as holy souvenirs for pilgrims as mementos or to be deposited by devotees at sacred shrines or caves.

One of the primary purposes of votive panels in Buddhism is merit-making, the practice of performing good deeds to accumulate positive karma, which is believed to lead to better rebirths and eventual liberation from the cycle of samsara (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth). In Buddhist thought, acts of devotion, including the creation and offering of votive panels, are seen as ways to purify the mind, cultivate virtue, and generate spiritual merit.

Khmer style plaques have been found in temples across Southeast Asia, either made in the Khmer style or brought there by pilgrims as offerings.

Votive panels in Buddhism are more than just artistic representations of religious figures or symbols—they are tangible expressions of faith, devotion, and the desire for spiritual progress. By creating and offering votive panels, devotees participate in the practice of merit-making, seek protection and blessings, and commemorate significant moments in their spiritual journeys.

Throughout history, votive panels have served as bridges between the physical and spiritual worlds, embodying the Buddhist ideals of compassion, wisdom, and enlightenment.

Whether found in ancient cave temples, modern shrines, or personal altars, votive panels continue to play a vital role in the devotional life of Buddhists, offering a timeless reminder of the power of faith, art, and spiritual aspiration.

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