The "Webbed Fingers" of Buddha
Summary
The article examines the depiction of Buddha’s “webbed fingers,” one of the 12 physical signs marking a great man in Buddhist tradition. These signs, rooted in mythological origins, are documented in Pali and Sanskrit texts like the *Mahipadana-Suttanta*, *Lalitavistara*, and *Digha Nikaya*, where the feature is described as having a web-like appearance between fingers and toes. Scholars like Coomaraswamy associate this trait with Gupta-period Buddha statues, particularly noting the Mankuwar image’s subtle suggestion of a thin web at the back of the palm. However, the author argues that this is an artistic illusion rather than actual webbing, as the uncarved spaces between fingers and the durable material choices (e.g., sandstone) prioritized structural stability over anatomical accuracy. Comparisons with metal statues from the same era, such as the Sultangunj and Boston Buddhas, further support this interpretation, showing minimal or no webbing. The analysis concludes that the “webbed fingers” in Gupta art were a stylistic convention to enhance aesthetic appeal and protect delicate stone carvings, not a literal representation of the Buddhist textual descriptions.
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Conclusion
This analysis of the "webbed fingers" motif in Buddhist iconography reveals a fascinating interplay between textual tradition and artistic interpretation. While Pali and Sanskrit sources describe Buddha’s physical characteristics symbolically, Gupta-period artists rendered them through subtle sculptural techniques, such as finely carved lines suggesting webbing without full interdigital connections. The study underscores how artistic innovation preserved doctrinal symbolism, adapting it to aesthetic and technical constraints, thereby ensuring the motif’s endurance in Buddhist visual culture. The discrepancy between textual literalness and artistic abstraction highlights the dynamic nature of religious imagery, where symbolic meaning often supersedes anatomical precision.