Buddha with a bowl.

The key element is the begging bowl resting in the lap, which is associated with several meanings in Buddhist iconography:

• Renunciation and Humility: The begging bowl symbolizes the Buddha’s mendicant life after he attained enlightenment. By relying on alms (donations of food) from the lay community, the Buddha and the monks who followed him demonstrated detachment from material possessions and self-sufficiency.
• Interdependence: The act of accepting alms fosters a symbiotic relationship between the monastic order and the lay community, highlighting interdependence and the value of generosity (dana).
• The Medicine Buddha (Bhaiṣajyaguru): Statues of the Medicine Buddha are often depicted holding a begging bowl full of healing nectar or medicinal herbs (like the myrobalan fruit).
• Dhyana Mudra (Meditation): In many depictions, the bowl is held while the hands are in the Dhyana Mudra (meditation gesture), where the hands rest on the lap, palms up, with the right hand often resting on the left. This symbolizes deep contemplation and the attainment of enlightenment.