What does the bun on Buddha's head symbolize?

Question:i'm in art history class and i need to find out quickly...please and thank you...

oh by the way the person that get the best answer will earn nice points!!!!!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: i'm in art history class and i need to find out quickly...please and thank you...

oh by the way the person that get the best answer will earn nice points!!!!!

The swelling on Buddha's head is known as an "usnisa." The usnisa is a symbolic representation of Buddha's wisdom and enlightenment.

The earliest sculptural representations of Buddha (from the 1st century CE in Gandhara (now known as Afghanistan)) were based on Greek models. In these early representations, the swelling was shown as a bun of hair.

However, in later representations, the swelling is shown as some kind of cranial knob.

theres a bun on his head??? hmm...

i never heard that the bun symbolized anything. if it has three parts then it would symbolize the three jewels of buddhism; if you speak of just the swirl of hair on his head then that would be one of the indications of divinity. as far as i know the bun is just a stylized version of the type of hair an ascetic might have had at that time, so maybe it represents his ascetic lifestyle.

JD has it.