June 23, 2025

The Buddha Eyes: A Symbol from Home

The Buddha Eyes, also known as Wisdom Eyes, are painted on virtually every stupa or Buddhist shrine in Nepal. Looking out in all four directions, they symbolise the omniscience and all-seeing nature of the Buddha.

As I spent a lot of my formative years living in between Nepal and Australia - For me these eyes feel like home, they remind me of deep and cherished childhood memories spent in Nepal, visiting my favourite temples with my family.

Painted Buddha eyes with the curling Nepali numeral between them, gazing out beneath green and red drapes on a white stupa An open palm with a small eye tattoo held up beside a hand-painted blue and yellow eye on a red brick wall

My palm tattoo, carrying this essence of my love and connection for Nepal.

Faded 1990s snapshot of a small girl with her father and family on the steps of Kathmandu's Monkey Temple

Above: Me and Dad in the 1990's visiting my favourite 'Monkey Temple' - formally known as 'Swayambhunath'

Below: me and my Auntie in 2017 when we reconnected in her home, after 20years apart

Aunt and niece arm in arm in a Nepali kitchen lined with steel pots, reunited after twenty years apart

Between the Buddha's eyes is a curly symbol that looks like a question mark. It’s actually the Nepali character for the number 1, representing the unity of all things and the one path to enlightenment through the Buddha’s teachings. Above that sits a third eye, symbolising the Buddha’s all-seeing wisdom.

The powerful symbolism, cultural connection, and nostalgic energy that the Buddha Eyes represent for Shanti have resulted in their appearance in Snakes and Shanti designs over the years. From the original Third Eye Hoodie to the Eye Sarong, this motif continues to honour Shanti’s Nepali heritage.

Swayambhunath stupa on an old print, its gilded spire strung with prayer flags above the painted Buddha eyes

The symbolic eye has been weaved through the brand ethos and designs since Snakes and Shanti first launched in 2019.

Sunlit portrait with curly hair under a yellow Eye sarong with red eye prints, worn as a soft head wrap

Ashad and his children when we first worked together in 2017 - creating the very first Snakes and Shanti T-shirt - representing everything that Nepal meant to me.

Three young brothers and a little sister grin in front of embroidered patches, two boys wearing black and white eye tees

Close-up of a yellow T-shirt with hand-embroidered Buddha eyes, an Om symbol and arched Snakes & Shanti lettering

The eye continues to carry through my designs, weaving through like a prayer, honouring my fatherland.

Street mirror selfie in a mustard hoodie with embroidered patches, jeans and a black fringed bag stitched with an eye

Looking back over a bare shoulder, she holds up a blush-pink sarong with red eye prints wrapped loosely around her body Black hoodie with an embroidered rainbow eye on the chest and cuff, worn hood up with bright blue hair Head bowed with long dark curls, a faded charcoal cap embroidered with colourful Buddha eyes, sage-green tube top An orange sarong patterned with red eyes hangs over a red wooden railing above green rainforest

The Buddha Eyes: A Symbol from Home

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