The Timeless Buddha is the fifth artwork in a series of the “Seasons of Buddha” collection by Karun
Soni. The artwork is a vibrant depiction of the Buddha mediating under the Bodhi tree, the tree
under which he is said to have attained enlightenment. The painting has been created using bright
colours, with pinks, yellows and blue predominating. The Buddha is depicted sitting in padmasana,
the lotus position, cross legged and with his hands on his lap.
In Buddhism, the concept of anatta, or no-self, is central to the path of enlightenment. Anatta means
there is no permanent, unchanging self that exists independently of the world around us. Instead,
our sense of self is constantly changing, and is made up of our thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
When we lose the sense of self, we become more aware of the present moment and our
interconnectedness with all things, leading to a greater sense of peace, compassion, and joy.
Here the artist, Karun Soni, depicts losing the sense of self through meditation. When we meditate,
we focus our attention on the present moment and let go of our thoughts and feelings. This artwork
was created after the artist practiced meditation and learnt more about the science behind
spirituality.
Losing the sense of self is not easy and it took Buddha many years in pursuit of this goal. However, it
is a worthwhile endeavour, when we lose the sense of self, we open ourselves up to a greater
experience of life, becoming more peaceful, compassionate, and joyful.