Small statues of Buddha are considered to be alive and possess some power. In traditional beliefs, the Buddha inherits a fraction of the Tejas, known as energy possessed in extreme abundance by Buddha himself. A statue of Buddha has generally been considered a stupa. It is a substitute for the physical presence of the Buddha and sometimes this sculpture, like most Tibetan art, may be used in rumination as an aid to envision one’s enlightenment, as well as that of all other beings. The point of departure and core of the Buddha’s thought is his teaching on suffering. He believed that human suffering has to be eliminated.