The Great Stupa at Sanchi
The Great Stupa at Sanchi was commissioned by the son of Emperor Ashoka in the Maurya dynasty in the 3rd century BCE and reconstructed in later periods until 1st century CE The stupa was a burial mound. Part of the remains of the historical Buddha was bur
The Lion Capital
The crowning, decorative capital of a 40 foot cosmic pillar erected by King Asoka to symbolize his
rule, and the kingdom's new Buddhist state religion. King Asoka defined the boundaries newly expanded territory of the Maurya Dynasty with huge pillars erec
The Chaitya-hall at Karli, with vihara
In addition to the stupa, the other two important Buddhist architectural forms are chaitya-hall (sacred places for Buddhists) and vihara (a dwelling place for monks). Karli is an example of the chaitya-hall, which was cut out of living rock (see plan, ele
Buddha
(Gautama, Shakyamuni) - 562-483 BCE
Queen Maya - Buddha's mother
Nirvana
an enlightened state
Aniconic
symbolic representations of Buddha's presence without description of him in human form.
Yakshi (F), yaksha (M)
Hindu nature deities - Imagery found on the toranas of the great stupa.
Vihara
monk's cells
Boh (or bodhi) tree
Buddha attained enlightenment while sitting under this type of tree
Theravada (or Hinayana) Buddhism (Lesser Vehicle) vs Mahayana Buddhism
Primitive school of Buddhism, based on a moral code. Theravada Buddhism regarded Buddha as a historical figure and a great teacher, and each person had to work out his or her own salvation by strictly following the footsteps of Buddha such as meditation a
Jataka Tales
stories about the previous lives of Buddha
Siddartha Gautama
The historic buddha. Born 560 BCE in the foothills of the Himalayas. He gave up his princely life of fine robes and jewels in order to seek out the cause of suffering, disease and misery which he saw all around him. At age thirty-five he sat under a large
King Ashoka
The third leader of the first great Indian Empire called the Mauryan Dynasty (322-183 BCE) was named Ashoka (269-232 BCE). He expanded Mauryan political influence over much of the subcontinent. According to tradition, Ashoka was moved to remorse and pity
Kushan Period
A dynasty of ancient India (50-320CE), ruled by the Kushans, a nomadic group of people who came from Central Asia. In this period, the first images of Buddha appeared. Two schools of Buddhist art are known as the Mathura and the Gandhra. Mathura style in
Gupta period
This dynasty succeeded the Kushan dynasty, 320-600CE This period was the zenith of Buddhist art. It had an enormous influence on Buddhist art of later periods in India and beyond. Mathura and Sarnath are the two regional schools of Buddhist art of this pe
Mathura
A place in central India, the center of Buddhist art in the Kushan and Gupta periods. Gupta - Fluid stringy drapery over the body. Round face, full lips, broad nose. Kushan -
Gandhara
A place in northwestern India, the center of Buddhist art in the Kushan period. The Gandharan style is strongly influenced by Roman art. Oval faces. Long straight noses. High arched brows. Cupid's bow lips. hard geometric drapery with many folds.
Sarnath
The place where Buddha preached the first sermon in north India, a center of Buddhist art in the Gupta period. Smooth drapery with limited folds.
Mudra
Hand gesture of Buddha with different meanings
ex. Hand out forward - "fear not
Mahayana Buddhism
The Greater Vehicle," a school of Buddhism different from Theravada Buddhism, Buddha is believed to be divine and can intervene in human salvation.
Bodhisattva
A new idea of Mahayana Buddhism, "being of wisdom," beings whose essence is intelligence and who had achieved enlightenment and could enter Nirvana but choose to stay in this world to help other beings to do so.
Seated Buddha with attendants from Mathura, Kushan Period, 2nd century CE, Indian Buddhism (Mahayana Buddhism), red sandstone
The iconography of this Buddha statue and the symbolic meaning of each part are significant. The Buddha is larger and central, seated on a Lion Throne and accompanied by two standing attendants on his sides and two apsaras (celestial beings) on the top of
Gandhara Buddha from N.W. Pakistan, Gray Schist, Mahayana Buddhism, Kushan Period, 2nd century CE
Gandhara was another center of Indian Buddhist art of the Kushan period. It was a style strongly influenced by Roman sculptures because of the occupation by Alexander the Great late in the 4th century BCE. Gandhara Buddhas were made of a kind of grayish s
Prince Shotoku Taishi (572-622 CE)
Buddhism endorsed by this Japanese leader. Buddhism reached Japan in the middle of the 6th century from Korea after centuries of development in China. The introduction of Buddhism exerted a far-reaching effect on many aspects of Japanese life. Cause dispu
Shinto
native Japanese nature religion
Horyu-ji
Buddhist temple complex near Nara, Japan (607 CE) A Japanese Buddhist temple built in the early 7th century CE, in the Asuka period, near Nara, Japan. It is the oldest extant wood construction in the world. It was modeled after Chinese Buddhist temples an
Chumon
entry gate
Kondo
golden hall - The main function of the temple hall is to enclose them, forming a shrine rather than an assembly hall for a community. A special hall on the north end outside the cloister was set aside for sermons and disputations. In the kondo are the ima
Pagoda
multi-storied towers used as relic halls in China and Japan, function as a stupa does
in India
Tamamushi Shrine
enclosed a sacred image
Shaka Triad
gilded-bronze group of Buddhist statues by Tori Busshi in kondo at Horyu-ji (623 CE)
Mandala
a diagram of the cosmos
Tori Busshi
The main image in the kondo at Horyu-ji bears the date 623 and is the work of an artisan named Tori Busshi, a caster of statues and a descendent of Chinese immigrants. It is an icon expressing the Mahayana Buddhist school of thought. The Mahayana Buddhist
Buddha represented - Shaka Triad
The Buddha is represented with a serene and remote aspect, larger than life. He wears a monk's robe and is seated in the position of meditation. His elongated ears, the mark on his forehead and his hair all recall his noble birth. His attendants, the smal
Brama
A Hindu God, the creator.
Vishnu
A Hindu God, the preserver, represents the aspect of sustaining life. He has 10
incarnations.
Shiva
A Hindu God, the destroyer, who has the power of destruction and recreation. He is the Lord of Dance and the Lord of Animals.
Brahman
A Hindu concept, the only real existence, the universal spirit, or undifferentiated eternal principle of existence of Hinduism.
Lingam
Phallus-shaped representation of Shiva, usually worshiped in a sanctuary of a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva.
Avatar
The incarnation of a Hindu deity. Vishnu has ten avatars.
Descent of the Ganges
An open air relief carved onto a living rock, a Hindu pilgrimage site, located at Mamallapuram, India, created in 7th century CE, commissioned by local king, representing the power of creation.
Kailasanatha
A Hindu pilgrimage site located at Ellura, carved out of a stone cliff, 8th to 9th century CE, commissioned by a local king, local king�Krishna I. The main temple represents the residence of Shiva and his wife, the World Mountain, with a lingam enshrined
Ellura
great site for Hindu art in Central India; Kailasanatha Temple, begun 760 CE), southern, or Dravidian style
By 600 the caves were a center for Buddhist worship, with Buddhist images carved both in the shrines of pillared halls and in the apsidal chaitya w
Karma
Law of return
Shiva Nataraja (the Lord of Dance)
cast bronze, dated to the 11th or 12th century, in the Chola dynasty, from south India.
The big ring represents flame and fire, symbolizing Shiva's great power of destruction and creation. Shiva is also the Lord of Dance. His lifted foot represents the re
3 major gods of hinduism
They are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma is the creator, who has four heads. Vishnu is the preserver, representing the aspect of sustaining life. He has ten incarnations including fish, tortoise, boar, man-lion, Krishna�child-god, young cowherd playing
Ankor wat
Cambodia (Kampuchea), Hindu Temple and mausoleum at capital, Khmer Period, first half of the 12th century, stone commissioned by Surya Varman II. The plan of the temple is simple and approximates the World Mountain (Mt. Meru) and embodies the ancient Khme
Churning of The Sea Of Milk
Angkor Wat, Khmer period, first half of the 12th century, stone. More than sixteen hundred apsaras (celestial nymphs) in different moods and expressions occur at every corner and along the walls of the temple, for example. Of those scenes dedicated specif
Mount Meru
The residence of the god Vishnu, also called the World Mountain.
Devaraja
It is a newly designed cult of Hinduism in Cambodia. Deva means god; raja means ruler. So, devaraja means god-kings. It refers to the Khmer rulers who had both the religious and political power.
Sakyamuni
Historic buddha
Probhutaratna
Buddha of the past
Amitabha
Buddha of the west
Guanyin
Bodhisattva of compassion and mercy
Stele
Stone monument or tablet sculpted in relief
Mandorla
Body halo
The Silk Route
2nd century BCE, a trade route was formed through the Middle East and Central Asia extending all the way from China to Rome. Spread Buddhism throughout. During the Kushan period, Buddhist art accompanied the commerce along the trade route into central Asi
Colossal Buddha at Bamiyan
At Bamiyan, an oasis in the desert in Afghanistan, hundreds of Buddhist cave temples were carved into the face of cliffs from the 4th to 5th century CE. Became pilgrimage site. Rich merchants became patrons for temples. The largest one was a standing Budd
Northern Wei Dynasty
386-535 AD Northern China. Established capital at Datong. Adopted Buddhism as the state religion, became patrons of monasteries and cave temples. In the capital, there
were more than one hundred Buddhist temples, more than two thousand monks and nuns. Loc
Lunging Colossal Buddha
10 mi. west of Datong, cave sculptures were commissioned by Northern Wei. Became pilgrimage site. Cave XX - a colossal seated Buddha was accompanied by a standing Bodhisattva to the left, and another one to the right (destroyed), and many small seated Bud