Maitreya Buddha
Benefit Maitreya represents the future state of love emanating from great universal bliss. This is embodied by the Adi Buddha Samantabhadra & gained by using the tools of Vajrayana 'magical' Buddhism & can be realised from the adamantine truth of emptiness embodied by Adi Buddha Vajradhara. The name Maitreya is derived from the Sanskrit word maitri stemming from the old Pali word metta meaning 'loving-kindness' related to Pali word mitta meaning 'friend'. When Maitreya becomes fully realised, he will preside over the Ketumati Pure Land, an earthly paradise. Maitreya is the embodiment of a future state of loving kindness, sympathetic joy, equanimity & compassion which create great bliss & conscious love.
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Iconography
Maitreya resides in Tushita heaven accessible through mediation & sits on a throne seat with two snow lions [Skt. Singhasana] in the frieze. Snow lions are the national symbol of Tibet. Tushita is alluded to by the mountainous landscapes swirling cumulous cloudbanks. His wears a green upper garment of Indian royalty from his shoulders, maroon Buddhist trousers with silk brocade, a blue Mantrayana apron and a sash representing the Himalayan Rainbow [Five Pure Lights of the Mahabhuta]. The small stupa shape in his headdress represents the stupa of the Buddha Sakyamuni's relics to help him identify it when his turn comes to lay claim to his succession. The light green khata loose around his waist is a traditional ceremonial scarf symbolizing purity.
He holds both hands in front of his heart in a hand position signifying the turning the wheel of Buddhist teachings [Skt. dharmachakra mudra]. The left hand holds the stem of a blue lotus or 'night lotus'[Skt. Utpala]. The word utpala means to 'burst open'. This supports an auspicious golden wheel [Skt. Chakra] which represents change, universal cycles of existence such as the changing of the hands of a watch, the seasons of the year, the earth & moon revolving around the sun and these three in turn revolving with other planets. All is in flux, forever changing. Each forward Turning of the wheel represents a movement of Buddhist teaching. This is usually called the turning of the Wheel of Dharma. The eight spokes symbolising the noble Eightfold Path of right Thought [mirror], right Insight or View [mustard seed], right Thought, right Action [bilva fruit], right Effort [durva grass], right Livelihood [curds] and right Contemplation [vermilion powder].
The right hand holds another lotus stem supporting a water pot [Skt. Kalasa] which traditionally contains the primeval water carried by the creator Brahma. This water of creation or water of life [don't confuse with the blue nectar of immortality]represents the pure conscious mind and its ability to regenerate and purify the conscious mind. The water pot is one of the eight auspicious symbols [Skt. Astamangalas] where the word asta means eight. The green nimbus around his head represents his cosmic nature. He is surrounded by a blooming 'pink lotus' [Skt. Kamala] and an unopened bud on her left hand. The Pink lotus blossoms represents the present love and the red unopened bud future love & yet to be born Buddhas. The future here also refers to beneficial changes circumstances that will help bring about. Maitreya's elongated earlobes represent patience; his topknot [Skt. Ushnisa] his abandonment of worldly possessions, the dot [Skt.urna] on his brow on the command chakra [Skt.ajna] represents his transcendent wisdom. The thin blue aureole around his body signifies the highest level of understanding.
Commentary
It is up to all sentient beings to turn the wheel Maitreya is a future Buddha, an enlightened person who will appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma which are the principles of Buddhism.
Process: Sand Casting
This Maitreya Buddha has been created using the sand casting system, also known as sand molding casting. This widely employed manufacturing process utilizes a sand mold to produce metal products and components in various sizes and shapes. Sand casting holds significant popularity in the industry, accounting for approximately 60% of all metal castings. The sand casting process involves six primary steps. First, a pattern or replica of the desired sculpture, in this case, Maitreya Buddha, is created using a material like wood or metal. The pattern is then placed in a flask, which is a box-like structure divided into two halves. The next step involves packing the flask tightly with specially formulated molding sand, creating a mold cavity that matches the shape of the pattern. The pattern is subsequently removed, leaving behind a negative impression of the sculpture within the sand mold.
The third step is known as gating and risering, where additional channels and reservoirs are added to the mold to facilitate the flow of molten metal and compensate for any shrinkage during solidification. Once the gating system is prepared, the mold is carefully closed and secured. The fourth step involves pouring the molten metal, such as bronze or iron, into the mold through the gating system. After the metal has cooled and solidified, the mold is broken open, revealing the solid metal sculpture. The final steps involve removing any excess material, surface finishing, and polishing to achieve the desired appearance.
Sand casting offers several advantages, including its versatility in producing complex shapes, cost-effectiveness for both small and large-scale productions, and the ability to use a wide range of metals. However, it does require skilled craftsmanship and careful attention to ensure the quality and accuracy of the final sculpture. By utilizing the sand casting system, the Maitreya Buddha embodies the craftsmanship and artistry of the process, resulting in a captivating and unique metal artwork.
The process cycle for sand casting consists of six main stages, which are explained below
Mold-making -The first step in the sand casting process is to create the mold for the casting. In an expendable mold process, this step must be performed for each casting. A sand mold is formed by packing sand into each half of the mold. The sand is packed around the pattern, which is a replica of the external shape of the casting. When the pattern is removed, the cavity that will form the casting remains. Any internal features of the casting that cannot be formed by the pattern are formed by separate cores which are made of sand prior to the formation of the mold. Further details on mold-making will be described in the next section. The mold-making time includes positioning the pattern, packing the sand, and removing the pattern. The mold-making time is affected by the size of the part, the number of cores, and the type of sand mold. If the mold type requires heating or baking time, the mold-making time is substantially increased. Also, lubrication is often applied to the surfaces of the mold cavity in order to facilitate removal of the casting. The use of a lubricant also improves the flow the metal and can improve the surface finish of the casting. The lubricant that is used is chosen based upon the sand and molten metal temperature.
Clamping - Once the mold has been made, it must be prepared for the molten metal to be poured. The surface of the mold cavity is first lubricated to facilitate the removal of the casting. Then, the cores are positioned and the mold halves are closed and securely clamped together. It is essential that the mold halves remain securely closed to prevent the loss of any material.
Pouring - The molten metal is maintained at a set temperature in a furnace. After the mold has been clamped, the molten metal can be ladled from its holding container in the furnace and poured into the mold. The pouring can be performed manually or by an automated machine. Enough molten metal must be poured to fill the entire cavity and all channels in the mold. The filling time is very short in order to prevent early solidification of any one part of the metal.
Cooling - The molten metal that is poured into the mold will begin to cool and solidify once it enters the cavity. When the entire cavity is filled and the molten metal solidifies, the final shape of the casting is formed. The mold can not be opened until the cooling time has elapsed. The desired cooling time can be estimated based upon the wall thickness of the casting and the temperature of the metal. Most of the possible defects that can occur are a result of the solidification process. If some of the molten metal cools too quickly, the part may exhibit shrinkage, cracks, or incomplete sections. Preventative measures can be taken in designing both the part and the mold and will be explored in later sections.
Removal - After the predetermined solidification time has passed, the sand mold can simply be broken, and the casting removed. This step, sometimes called shakeout, is typically performed by a vibrating machine that shakes the sand and casting out of the flask. Once removed, the casting will likely have some sand and oxide layers adhered to the surface. Shot blasting is sometimes used to remove any remaining sand, especially from internal surfaces, and reduce the surface roughness.
Trimming - During cooling, the material from the channels in the mold solidifies attached to the part. This excess material must be trimmed from the casting either manually via cutting or sawing, or using a trimming press. The time required to trim the excess material can be estimated from the size of the casting's envelope. A larger casting will require a longer trimming time. The scrap material that results from this trimming is either discarded or reused in the sand casting process. However, the scrap material may need to be reconditioned to the proper chemical composition before it can be combined with non-recycled metal and reused.
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