Jowo Shakyamuni Postcard

Postcard made during the inauguration of the Tashi Gomang Stupa at the Retreat Centre in Portugal. The main image of the Jowo Shakyamuni statue is on top of the Stupa.

The Jowo Shakyamuni is considered the most sacred and important image of Buddha in Tibet because it is believed to have been carved by the celestial architect Viswakarma in India during the lifetime of Buddha Shakyamuni (6th-5th centuries BC). Texts such as the 11th century Testament of Vase-shaped Pillars suggest that the Shakyamuni Jowo was sculpted from a life portrait of the Buddha. The purpose of the statue sculpture was to act as a representative of the Buddha after his paranirvana or departure from the world. The religious significance and sacred power of the Jowo Shakyamuni, therefore, stems from its true resemblance to the Buddha as well as its having been sculpted by Viswakarma. Such claims of resemblance and celestial origins are not unique to the Jowo Shakyamuni – the Emerald Buddha in Thailand and the Seiryoji Buddha in Japan have almost identical origin stories.

Find out more about the Stupa and the Retreat Centre on the Guhya Mantrika Community website.

Dimensions: 15cm x 10cm

Made in Portugal