Emaciated Buddha

Yesterday was the Buddhist holiday of Vesak, or "Buddha Day." A day of observance and reverence of the Buddha's life and death. On this day, and during other specific phases of the moon, followers of the religion take care to* abstain from killing*,* stealing*, sexual misconduct, false speech, taking intoxicating drugs, eating past the "forbidden hour" ( Noon ), sleeping in a high place and abstinence from dancing, music, visiting shows, flowers, make-up, the wearing of ornaments and decorations

After spending my day bored out of my mind, listening to the Patimokkha ( a list of rules observed by monks ) the Dhammapada ( Root of the Truth ) and documentaries on the Buddha I was inspired to draw this image of him. This was a time when the Buddha was practicing asceticism as was popular in his time, before his enlightenment. The Buddha would constrict himself to one grain of rice a day.