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1. IMAGES AND SYMBOLS OF
BUDDHISM

2. Buddhism in the Greek empire
Source: Garrett Ryan. Why the first Buddhas in art wore finely folded Greek tunics.
PSYCHE
https://psyche.co/ideas/why-the-first-buddhas-in-art-wore-finely-folded-greek-tunics
• The first Buddhas in art wore
finely folded Greek toga.
• The expansion of Greek
empire to the East met
Buddhism.
• There were Greek governors
that embraced Buddhism.
• As a result of the encounter,
they dressed the Buddha
with a tunic.

3. Borobudur: a physical/architectural
representation of Buddhist cosmology

4. What is a stupa?
(Sanskrit = ‘heap’)

5. Borobodur (a view from the ground)

6. A model of Borobodur

7. Borubodor
(located in Java, Indonesia)

8. Ground plan of Borobodur:
the shape of a mandala

9. Tibetan monks creating
a sand mandala

10. Dharmacakra: A symbol of the Dharma
(the Buddha's teaching of
the path to enlightenment)
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuRSu3g9wUg (6 min)
Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPrC2qrs_PI (3 min)

11. The bhavachakra:
A symbolic picture of the six realms

13. A Christian mandala

14. Mala – Buddhist prayer beads

15. What monks look like and wear
• Principle of
renunciation
• Shaved head: hair
is fosters desire
and attachment to
looks
• Robes: clothes
foster desire and
attachment
• Orange (or yellow)
robes: symbolize
awakening
• As a result, they
leave family to
practice this.

16. A monk chanting in meditation

17. The golden Buddha and temple
• Gold is found in Buddha
statues and temples.
• It represents the sun
and the awakening.

18. Beautiful temples in the faith compared
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/metkids/2020/solomons-temple-model-judaica
Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLG0X4FjkPg ; Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2tha7ogpec
Beautiful, golden temples are also found in the
Bible, in the instructions to King Solomon to
build the temple in 1 Kings chapter 6.

19. Mudras: Meanings of the Buddha’s hand gestures

24. Buddhism as a peaceful religion

25. Is Buddhism a peaceful religion?
In Chinese Esoteric Buddhism:
Amoghavajra, the Ruling Elite, and
the Emergence of a
Tradition (Columbia Press, 2019),
Geoffrey Goble introduces Chinese
Esoteric Buddhism and reveals the
surprising role that warfare and ritual
technologies for murdering and
afflicting enemies played in the
creation and establishment of
Chinese Esoteric Buddhism.
Acalanatha, the wrathful
manifestation of
Mahavairocana in Shingon
Buddhism in Japan
In modern times, Buddhist
monks have been instigators
and perpetuators of violence
in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and
Thailand against Hindus,
Christians and Muslims

26. Meditation, focus and the magic eye
Focus on this picture – what do you “see”?

27. The magic eye

28. A Buddhist diet follows a primarily plant-based approach. A plant-based
diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes,
and beans, but it may also include some animal products

29. Traditional Buddhist favorite food
• The lotus is one of the most meaningful and
symbolic plants in the world.
• It is the most sacred flower for Buddhists
and admired throughout Asia, and the “water
lily” is also popular in gardens in the West.
• The beautiful lotus flower springs up from
muddy and challenging surroundings, the
lotus became a symbol of hope and
transcendence.
• The lotus is also a sign of wealth,
knowledge, purity and things achieved
through adversity and challenge.