Is the Buddha on this pendant holding a cane, stick or sword, and if so what does that mean?

jessie70

So far, my online search uncovers two possibilities:

- it could be a Kyosaku (stick used by Soto meditation teachers to help with focus/proper form)
- it could be Manjushri (A boddhisattva that holds a sword to cut through delusion).

Anyone out there know if either of this is likely the answer, or have another explanation?
Thanks!

genkaku

@cwexl -- The carving is a bit too abstract to know for sure. Maybe it is a Buddha, but the little pointy hat is a bit odd.

A keisaku is a staight implement, rather than curved at the end, and Manjushri's sword is more often depicted as something relatively straight rather than looking like a shepherd's crook.

The pendant looks like something imaginatively southern -- Indian, Thai, Cambodian ... but this, like the speculations above, is just speculation.

Whatever it is, it's pretty.

jessie70

I thought the pointy party was actually the knot of hair on top of the Buddha, maybe?

ZenBadger

The knot/cranial protrusion is called an Ushnisha but I don't think this is a Buddha. It looks to me like someone sitting down to play a stringed instrument - there is a line from the knee to the "cane" on the left which makes a teardrop shaped body and a long neck curved where the nut would be on a guitar. It looks to me like a traditional indian musician with a stylised hairdo.

Manjushri is almost always depicted holding the sword overhead in the act of cutting through delusions. This is a bit relaxed for a being with such a gargantuan task :-)

thickpaper

C'est un parasol, non?

BonsaiDoug

Hard to tell what's being held. The pointed head leads me to believe this might be a Thai representation of The Buddha; almost always seen in Thai statuary and amulets. But as genkaku stated, a bit too abstract to be certain.

MaryAnne

I have to go along with the musician/ musical instrument theory..... but it still is very pretty.

driedleaf

I could be wrong, but it does look a lot like a Phra Lersi pendant.

The Lersi hermit tradition goes back to before the birth of the historical Buddha, whose parents received a visit from one of these holy men when the Buddha was only a baby! The Lersi are traditionally represented as men of advanced age, long hair, bearded and wearing a
tiger skin. One often sees them depicted with walking sticks embellished with fantastic animals and carrying malas made of huge beads. Sometimes one encounters statues and amulets of animal faced Lersi (tiger, lion, monkey but also cow and even Nâga!)

http://magiedubouddha.com/p_thai-lersi1-intl.php

jessie70

Thank you! It definitely does resemble this Phra Lersi more than a Buddha. I had not heard of Phra Lerso, and I will have to look into that more. I was hoping it was a Buddha, but at least, according to your link, they are connected :-). I greatly appreciate your help.