4 seasian buddhism

The Imprint of the Buddha in
Southeast Asian Art
Intro to Buddhism Thai Buddhist Art
The Path of Buddhism in SE Asia Borobudur (Java)
Music: Brokedown Palace Soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJuaRZeBPR8oJlYRy943-_TFsMTkHSkFV

Intro to Buddhism
• Buddhist do NOT “worship” Buddha!
• Buddha = Symbol of Pure Enlightenment
• Realize your own “Buddha-Nature” (divine essence) thru
Enlightenment

Siddhartha Guatama (c. 6th century BCE)
• Birth & Prophecies
• Life &
Enlightenment
• Sermon at Deer Park
(Sarnath):
“4 Noble Truths”
“8-Fold Path”
• Death & Nirvana

Siddhartha Guatama: Life Story

Birthplace: Lumbini, Nepal
Lumbini is the traditional
birthplace of Gautama
Buddha, the founder of
Buddhism (born in the 6th
century BCE).
Lumbini (Sanskrit for
"the lovely") is a Buddhist
pilgrimage site located at
the Nepalese town of
Kapilavastu, district
Rupandehi, near the
Indian border.

LUMBINI is one of 4 Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites based
on major events in the life of Gautama Buddha.
(Interestingly, all of the events occurred under trees.)
The other 3 sites
are in India:
1) Bodh Gaya
(Enlightenment)
2) Sarnath
(1st Sermon)
3) Kushinagar
(Death)

Queen Māyā of
Sakya: the birth mother
of Siddhartha.
"Māyā" = "illusion" or
"enchantment" (Sanskrit).
Also called Mahāmāyā ("great
Māyā") or Māyādevī ("Queen,
literally 'goddess,' Māyā").

His Mother’s
WHITE
ELEPHANT
DREAM.

Astrologer’s PROPHECY: Siddhartha as…
1) KING
OR…
2) SADHU

Pampered Pleasures of PALACE LIFE

EXCURSION outside the Palace (at age 29)
4 Sights:
1) Old Man
2) Sick Man
3) Dead Man
4) Sadhu
Made him wonder about
the cause of SUFFERING.

Silent Goodbye to Wife & Child

… & Renounced ALL Worldly Goods

Accepts Bowl of Rice: The “Middle Path”

49 days meditating under Bodhi Tree (35 years old)

Temptations of Mara
Fear
Lust (Mara’s
Seductive
Daughters)
Pride

Calls the Earth as Witness:
He DID give alms!

When day came, Gautama had attained perfect
illumination, and had become a Buddha.
The rays emanating from his body shone to the boundaries
of space.
He stayed in meditation for 7 more days, and then for 4
more weeks he stayed by the tree.

Through his process of enlightenment he discovered
that all sentient beings in this universal life possess
buddha-hood, and all are future potential buddhas.

From that time he had two
alternate paths: 1) he could
enter Nirvana immediately,
or 2) he could stay and
spread Enlightenment.
After Brahma came in person to
beg him to preach the law,
Buddha yielded and stayed
on the earth.
For 45 years he traveled and
taught his wisdom about
the force of love and the
destruction of all desire.

45 years of Teaching & Wandering…
…gaining many Followers
on the way.

Before the Buddha's death, he became severely ill.
He lay down on his right side, right hand supporting his
head, the other resting on his body. (All reclining
Buddhas are in the same posture.)

Growing weaker, he spoke:
"Do not say we have no
master now. The
doctrine I have
preached will be your
master when I have
disappeared.
“Listen, I beg you: ALL
CREATIONS ARE
IMPERMANENT; work
diligently for your
liberation."

“PARANIRVANA” = Death of the Buddha
His last words: “Be
your own refuge, with
awareness, strive on!”
He entered into deep
meditation, then into
blissful ecstasy, then
achieved NIRVANA.
At Kusinara, he died of
old age, under a tree,
lying on his right side.

The “Middle Way”
The practices Buddha
advocated in the quest
for Enlightenment
avoided the extremes of
sensual self-indulgence
on the one hand and self-
mortification on the other
and thus he gave his
“Noble 8-fold Path” the
alternative name of “the
Middle Way.”

1st Sermon at SARNATH (Deer Park)

1st Sermon: “Turning the Wheel of the Law”
Dharmachakra Mudra:
“Turning the Wheel of the
Law in Motion.”
The fingers of the left hand rest
against the palm of the right hand (as
if turning the wheel, made by the
index finger and thumb of the right
hand).
Signifies the teaching of the
1st Sermon of the Buddha at
Deer Park (Sarnath).

“The 4 Noble Truths”
1. To LIVE is to SUFFER.
2. Cause of Suffering: ATTACHMENTS.
3. To end Suffering, END ATTACHMENTS.
4. To end Attachments, follow the “8-FOLD PATH.”

“The 8-Fold Path” (to end attachments)

8-Fold Path Breakdown
WISDOM: 1) right views, 2) right intentions
ETHICS: 3) right speech, 4) right action, 5) right
livelihood)
MENTAL DISCIPLINE: 6) right effort, 7) right
mindfulness, 8) right concentration…
…which ultimately lead to liberation (“NIRVANA”) from
the source of suffering (attachments).

QUIZ 4: SE Asia
1. Siddhartha Guatama was BORN a (SLAVE/PRINCE/CARPENTER)?
2. What are the “4 NOBLE TRUTHS”?

Basic Buddhist Iconography & Symbols

Buddha
Iconography:
• Ushnisha
• Light of Wisdom
Jewel
• Shorn Hair
• Urna
• Triple-Chin (Middle
Path)
• Robe made of rags
• Mudra
• Mandorla
• Cross-Leg = “Lotus
Position”
• Royal Earlobes
• Lotus Throne(11) -----------------
------------------------- (10)

BUDDHA ICONOGRAPGHY:
USHNISHA: Top-knot = “Bump of Wisdom” he gained upon Enlightenment.
LIGHT OF WISDOM JEWEL: Brilliant Wisdon he gained upon Enlightenment.
SHORN HAIR: Cut off his princely locks when he became a sadhu.
URNA: Tuft of hair between his eyes. Symbolized “3rd Eye of Spiritual Wisdom.
TRIPLE-CHIN: Well-fed. Symbolizes the “Middle Path.”
ROBE MADE OF RAGS: Poverty, lack of material possessions.
MANDORLA: Full-body “halo.”
CROSS-LEG / “LOTUS POSITION”: Meditative seated position. ½ Lotus too.
MUDRA: Sacred hand gestures. Important in both Buddhism & Hinduism.
ROYAL EARLOBES: Shows former Princely status (heavy earrings).
LOTUS THRONE: See “LOTUS” in Symbols below.

Some MUDRAS:
1.) Dhyani.................(meditation)
2.) Vitarka................(teaching)
3.) Dharmachakra.....(turning the wheel)
4.) Bhumisparsha......(touching the earth)
5.) Abhaya...............(fearlessness / protection)
6.) Varada................(wish-granting)
7.) Uttarabodhi.........(supreme enlightenment)
8.) Mudra of Supreme Wisdom
9.) Anjali...................(greeting / respect)
10.) Vajrapradama....(unshakable confidence)

BUDDHIST SYMBOLS: “ASHTAMANGALA”:
Buddhist art frequently makes use of a particular set of “8 Auspicious
Symbols” called ASHTAMANGALA. These symbols include:
1) LOTUS FLOWER: Purity & the 3 stages to Enlightenment.
2) STUPA: Symbolic grave for relics. Also symbolizes the Universe & Mt. Meru.
3) DHARMACHAKRA: The Wheel of the Law. 8 spokes = Noble 8-Fold Path
4) TRIRATANA: The “3 Jewels”: 1) the Buddha, 2) the Dharma, 3) the Sangha.
5) CHATTRA: Parasol: Protection from all evil. Also shows prestige.
6) DHVAJA: Banner: The Victory of the Buddha’s Teachings.
7) DEER: Symbolizes Buddha’s 1st Sermon at Sarnath (Deer Park).
8) NAGA: Vestige of ancient Fertility Cults. Protects the Buddha & the Dharma.
MANDALA: Geometric design representing the universe.
Used by Buddhists as a mediation tool.
FOOTPRINT OF THE BUDDHA (“Buddhapada”):
The footprint of the Buddha is an imprint of 1 or both of
Guatama Buddha’s feet. There are 2 forms: 1) Natural, as
found in stone or rock, and 2) those made artificially. Many of
the "natural" ones, of course, are acknowledged not to be
actual footprints of the Buddha, but replicas or representations
of them, & also an early aniconic & symbolic representation of
the Buddha.

LOTUS
SYMBOLISM:
The roots of a LOTUS are
in the mud, the stem
grows up through the
water, and the heavily
scented flower lies
pristinely above the
water, basking in the
sunlight.
This pattern of growth
signifies the progress
of the soul from the
1) mud of materialism,
through
2) the waters of experience,
and into
3) the bright sunshine of
Enlightenment.

TRIRATANA:
The “Triple Gem” or “Three Jewels”
of Buddhism, which are the 3 core
values of:
1) Buddha
2) Dharma (the teachings)
3) Sangha (the monastic community)
The triratna symbol is a simple three-
branched shape, like a rounded
'W.' The triratna appears in early
Buddhist art in various contexts, but
especially as one of the symbols
on the Buddhapada, or footprint of
the Buddha.
The triratna is often accompanied by
lotus flowers symbolizing
Enlightenment, and the
dharmachakra (wheel), symbolizing
the Buddha's teachings.

MOUNT MERU:
Center of the Buddhist universe:
Axis Mundi
Multiple levels of heaven rise from
its peak
Surrounded by 7 concentric rings of
mountain ranges, alternating with 7
seas
Next the Great Ocean, with 4
islands (1 where we humans live)
Everything contained by final, huge
wall of rock

AXIS MUNDI:
The axis mundi (also cosmic axis,
world axis, world pillar and center of
the world) is a symbol representing
the center of the world where the
Heaven connects with Earth.
Different cultures represent the axis
mundi by varied symbols.
It may be feminine (an umbilical
providing nourishment), masculine (a
phallus providing insemination into a
uterus), or neither.
It appears in many world-wide
cultures—wherever the impulse
persists to link a tower with the idea of
a "world center."

MANDALA:
A sacred geometric figure that
represents the universe. The word
"mandala" comes from a Sanskrit word
that generally means "circle," and
mandalas are indeed primarily
recognizable by their concentric circles
and other geometric figures.
When completed, a mandala becomes
a sacred area that serves as a
collection point of universal forces.
By mentally entering a mandala and
proceeding to its center, a person is
symbolically guided through the
cosmos to the essence of reality.
By constructing a mandala, a monk
ritually participates in the Buddha's
teachings.

3. LIST the 3 Jewels of Buddhism (triratana).

STUPA: Buddhist religious monument.
Originally only a simple mound of clay to
cover relics of the Buddha. After the
paranirvana of the Buddha, his remains
were cremated, ashes divided & buried
under 8 stupas with 2 further stupas
encasing the urn & the embers.
CHAITYA: Buddhist Hall of Worship—has
a mini-stupa inside.
VIHARA: Dwelling places for wandering
monks (monastery). Evolved into centers of
learning and were repositories of sacred
texts.
KORA: Clockwise circumambulation of
the stupa is Buddhist practice done in the
morning and afternoon.
BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURAL FORMS
Great Stupa at Sanchi

Stupa:
Buddhist religious
monument. Originally only a
simple mound of clay to
cover relics of the Buddha.
After the paranirvana of the
Buddha, his remains were
cremated, ashes divided &
buried under 8 stupas with 2
further stupas encasing the
urn & the embers.

Sanchi stupa (1st-2nd cent. AD)

Chaitya:
Buddhist Hall of Worship—
has a mini-stupa inside.

Vihara:
Dwelling places
for wandering
monks
(monastery).
Evolved into
centers of learning
and were
repositories of
sacred texts.

Kora:
Clockwise
circumambulation
of the stupa is
Buddhist practice
done in the
morning and
afternoon.

2 Traditions of Buddhism:
1) Theravada
(“The Teaching of
the Elders”):
oldest / orig
2) Mahayana
(“Greater Wheel”)

In the development of Buddhism
after the Buddha’s death several
schools and traditions arose.
Most of them ceased to exist (being
absorbed by others) and today we
have 3 main “schools” of Buddhism:
1) Theravada (Burma, Cambodia, Sri Lanka,
Thailand)
2) Mahayana (India, China, Korea, Japan)
3) Vajrayana (Tibet)
Within each school there are different
traditions.
Modern scholars tend to divide the
schools according to the LANGUAGE
used. Mahayana schools are
Sanskrit-based schools, and
Theravada are Pali-based.

THERAVADA (“The Teaching of the Elders”)
Buddhism

The Path of
Buddhism in SE Asia
Bhumisparsa =
Earth-Touching Mudra

4. What’s a STUPA?
5. List the 2 Major “SCHOOLS” of Buddhism.
6. What was ASHOKA’s importance for Buddhism?

Thailand
Ashoka  Mon Kingdom

Thai Buddhist Kingdoms
I. Chiengsan (Northern
Thai Style (c. 11th-
12th centuries)
II. Sukhothai Kingdom
(1238-1438)
III. U-Tong (c. 12th-
15th centuries)
IV. Ayutthaya Kingdom
(1351-1767)
V. Thonburi Kingdom
(1767-1782)
VI. Bangkok Kingdom
(1782-present)

King Mongkut (Rama IV): r. 1851-1868
Bangkok Kingdom

“Dharmayukti Nikaya” School
• Est. by Mongkut: desire to purify texts & practices
• Dharmayukti = School of clinging to Real Dharma (Law)
of Buddha (Theravada)

Sukhothai Kingdom (1238-1438)
Thai’s Golden Age
Sukhothai -"the dawn of happiness"

Founder: King Si Intratit (c. 1240)
Wat Mahatat: Built by King Si Intratit

Sukhothai Buddha POSES
1. Seated
2. Standing
3. Walking
4. Reclining

“Wat” = Thai Buddhist Temple
Wat Sri Saway

Late Sukhothai: Wat Chet Yot (Chiang Mai)

7. List 3 common SUKHOTHAI Budda POSES:

Ayutthayan Buddhas
Hands display the gesture of Subduing
Mara. The Buddha is in Royal Attire,
with a prominent Head Dress or
Crown. Typical of the late Ayutthaya
period.

Many different styles & mudras, such as…
“Calming the Oceans”

“Forbidding Relatives from Fighting”

Ayutthaya Giant Reclining Buddha

Wat Pra Sri Sampet (1491: Ayutthaya)

Candra Kasem Palace (c. 1580: Ayutthaya)

Giant Recumbent Buddha (Ayutthaya)

Fall of Ayutthaya: 1767 (Burma)

Compare Thai Buddha Styles:
Chiang Saen SUKHOTHAI U-THONG AYUTTHAYA

8. A Thai Buddhist temple is called a ______.

Bangkok Kingdom (1782-present)

CHAKRI DYNASTY: 1782-present
General Chakri  King Rama I:
(r. 1782-1809)
Bangkok: Grand Palace

GLITTERING, mosaic encrusted Bangkok-style ARCHITECTURE!

Colossi of Maiyarap A sculpted figure of the demon
guardian Maiyarap outside the Grand palace in
Bangkok, Thailand.

Wat Pra Keo (b. 1782):
“Jewel-Box of the Emerald Buddha”

Chofa(h)s: hornlike finials on roof ridges

Wat Po (Temple of the Recumbent Buddha)

Wat Arun (“Temple of the Rosy Dawn”)

9. Most DISTINCTIVE trait of Bangkok-Style ARCHITECTURE?

Bangkok-Style MURALS
Wat Pra Keo: Royal Palace

Bangkok-Style Wooden Houses:
Jim Thompson House

The house consists of a complex of six traditional Thai-style houses,
teak structures that were purchased from several owners and brought
to the present location from various parts of Thailand. Construction of
the Thai house was completed in 1959.

My PHOTO ALBUM has LOTS of images from the Thai House!

Borobudur = “The World Mountain”

Borobudur: An Architectural Vision
of Buddhist Cosmos
3 SYMBOLIC
FUNCTIONS:
1. Stupa
2. Mt. Meru
3. Mandala

Buddhist Mandala Symbolism:
3 Cosmic Spheres of Existence:
1. Kamadhatu: desires
2. Rupadhatu: forms
3. Arupadhatu: formlessness

Arupadhatu: Formlessness Rupadhatu: Kamadhatu:
Forms Desires

Borobudur’s “Mandala” Structure
9 PLATFORMS:
6 lower (square)
3 upper (circular)
Kamadhatu – desires:
base (square)
Rupadhatu – forms:
next 5 square platforms
Arupadhatu – formlessness:
3 circular platforms
+ large topmost stupa

Arupadhatu: Rupadhatu: Kamadhatu:
Formlessness Forms Desires
1. Lowest Level (base):
KAMADHATU (desires)

Kamadhatu (desires/earthly realm: square base)

Kamadhatu (desires/earthly realm)

Arupadhatu: Formlessness Rupadhatu: Kamadhatu:
Forms Desires
2. Mid-Level (next 5 squares):
RAPADHATU (forms)

Rapadhatu: Forms / Realm of Hope

Rapadhatu: Forms / Realm of Hope
Jakata Images

Prince Siddhartha Gautama becomes an ascetic hermit.

Arupadhatu: Rupadhatu: Kamadhatu:
Formlessness Forms Desires
3. Highest Level:
ARUPADHATU (formlessness)

3. Highest Level: ARUPADHATU (formlessness)

The upper
(circular)
platforms house
72 small stupas
which surround
the large central
stupa.

Each stupa is bell-
shaped and pierced
by numerous
decorative
openings, w/
statues of Buddha
inside.

Waisak Festival (each May, full moon season)

Celebrates Birth, Enlightenment, & Death of Buddha

10. List the 3 Symbolic FUNCTIONS of
Borobudur (as an Architectural Vision of
Buddhist Cosmos).

Buddhist Arts of Asia online class
https://sites.google.com/site/farrarasianarthistory2013/

4 seasian buddhism

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