Buddhist Arts in South and
Southeast Asia
Rev. Thich Hang Dat
Buddhist Arts in South and
Southeast Asia
India-Bharut
Gandhara Buddha,
1st-2nd century AD
An Indo-Corinthian,
Buddha at its center, 3-4th
century, Gandhara.
These were the biggest carvings of the Buddha on earth until the
Taliban blew them to pieces with tanks in 1999. For an idea of
scale, there are some men in hardhats at the bottom.
Gandhara
A GrecoBuddhist statue
Seated Buddha 200-300
CE Pakistan Peshawar
valley Gandhara Schist
Buddha
statue in
Central
Pakistan
Gandhara
Heracles depiction of
Vajrapani as the
protector of the
Buddha, 2nd century
Gandhara, British
Museum.
The Buddhist gods
Pancika (left) and
Hariti (right), 3rd
century AD, Takht-i
Bahi, Gandhara,
British Museum.
The Buddha with Herakles/Vajrapani
(left detail) and Tyche/Hariti (right
detail) may be "incipient Buddhist
sculpture in Indo-Greek style"
(Boardman). Herakles still has his lion
skin on the left shoulder, although his
club has been replaced by Vajrapani's
thunderbolt. Tyche holds a Classical
cornucopia, Tapa-i-Shotor, Hadda,
eastern Afghanistan (Image Source).
Gandhara-Mathura
Mathura-2nd century Gandhara-2nd-3rd century
Taxila, Pakistan
Mathura
A Buddha, 2nd century, Mathura and
The Bodhisattva Maitreya, 2nd
century AD, Mathura.
India-Gupta
Head of Buddha.
Sarnath, Gupta
period, India
Sakyamuni Buddha,
Uttar Pradesh, India,
Gupta period, late
6th century
Buddha of the
Gupta period,
5th century,
Mathura.
Amaravati
A Chakravatin,(possibly
Ashoka the great) 1st
century BC/CE. Andhra
Pradesh, Amaravati.
Preserved at Musee
Guimet
Pala period
Caves
Ajanta caves
The Ajanta caves are about 30 in number and have been carved out of sheer rock. They are from two distinct periods:
2nd century B.C. to the 1st century A.D and 5th – 6th century A.D. and represent the Buddhist form of architecture. The
venue chosen is a beautiful and isolated one, a horse-shoe shaped gorge about 2 hours drive from Aurangabad. The
place is a sacred place, and at one time was a place of worship and meditation for Buddhists.
You can see the
remnants of the
beautiful paintings here.
This corridor is outside
the temple and despite
that parts of the painting
have been preserved.
The paintings and sculptures represent the events from the life of
the Buddha. Many of the stories depict great tales which preach
Buddhism and the path to Nirvana.
The cave temples of Ellora- 9th century- Aurangabad in Maharashtra,
The cave temples of Ellora-
Nalanda University
Stupa
Sanchi Stupa
Sri Lanka
Famous Buddhist
Nun Sanghamitta
arriving in Sri Lanka
with the Bodhi tree
Sri Lanka
Ruwanveli Seya
Popularly regarded as the greatest,
and certainly the most popular
among the Buddhists, of the stupas
at Anuradhapura, Ruwanveli Seya, is
the pride of the Great Emperor
Dutugemunu. Raised in the 2nd
century B.C. this dagoba is supposed
to have the perfect water bubble
shape. Among the many statues in
the courtyard there is one that is of
a larger-than-life man. This is
considered to be the king himself
watching his work from a respectable
distance.
Moonstone, Abhayagiri,
Anuradhapura, 6th-8th centuries. This
is one of the most exquisite
moonstones found in Sri Lanka.
Swoyambunathstupa
Maldivian Islands
A Maldive Buddhist sculpture
A Maldive cross-legged Buddha
A Maldive Buddha head
Buddhist Stupa
Maldive Buddhist usthumbu
0
4ff251d96
Bangladesh
Outside the Bangladeshi Buddhist Temple, Bodh Gaya
Bangladeshi Buddhist devotees light candles front of a statue of Lord Buddha at a
temple during the Buddha Purnima festival in Dhaka on May 19, 2008. Buddha
Purnima, which marks the birth, enlightment and passing away of Lord Buddha, is
widely celebrated among Buddhists in the predominantly Muslim country
Very Famous and one of the largest Metal Buddha
Statue in Bangladesh. Situated at Lamapara Vihar,
Ramu..
Situated at Rangkut Vihara, Ramu, Cox's Bazar,
Bangladesh. Established by Emperor Asoka The Great at
3rd Century B.C.(approximate)
Largest Buddha statue in
Bangladesh
Statue of Goutum Buddha
Sompuri Vihara
Vikramshila Vihara
Tamshing Goemba at Bumtang valley-500 years old.
Tamshing Goemba at Bumtang valley.
The temple is located on a place
where Guru Rinpoche,
The Kuenrey, at the far end of the Dzong is a must-see. As soon as you enter this temple, you
will be awed by the giant statues of the Buddha, flanked by the Guru and the Zhabdrung. Dont
forget to look up at the ceiling. Hundreds of beautifully painted dragons adorn the high ceiling.
Be sure to ask your guide about the paintings on the walls. The Kuenrey of the Punakha Dzong
has the most beautiful painting of the 12 episodes of the life of the Buddha (Zedpa Chuni). This
series of 12 paintings can tell you a lot about Buddhism.
A few kilometers from Phuentshollng is Kharbandi Goemba monastery built in 1967. It houses
the large and fascinating statues of Sakyamuni, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Guru
Rinpoche.
Sculpture Buddha scene - fine metal work - Kopan
Monastery - Kathmandu Nepal
Nepal
The buddha behind the Swayambu temple area - Kathmandu Nepal
Sculpture Buddha scene - fine metal work - Kopan
Monastery - Kathmandu Nepal
This is inside the temple that surrounds the spot where the
Buddha was born, Lumbini, Nepal.
The exact location of the birth of Lord Buddha. The hard to see
stone inside this case was placed here by Ashoka to mark the spot
of birth when he visited around 300 years after Buddha died.
Memorial Stupa Birth of the Buddha, Kathmandu, Nepal
Worshippers touch the water in the sacred Maya Devi pond in
Lumbini, Nepal. The pond is believed to be where Maya Devi bathed
before giving birth to Buddha.
Burma
Standing Buddha
Statue, Ananda
Temple, Pagan,
Burma, circa 12th
century
Thai Land
Cambodia
Cambodian Buddha, 14th century and
Bodhisattva Lokesvara, Cambodia 12th
century.
Vietnam
Deity- Dong
Duong, 875-910
Bronze: Dong Duong, 6th7th century
13th century temple Po Klaung Garai near Phan Rang
Indonesia