Art

  • Shaka Nyorai, the Historical Buddha
  • Hotei, One of the Gods of Good Fortune, with Child
  • Standing Buddha Amida
  • Bodhidharma
  • Jizo Bosatsu, Bodhisattva in the Guise of a Monk
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Tames the Wild Elephant Nalagiri
  • Excerpt from the Lotus Sutra
  • Printing Block for a Prayer from the Text “Embodiment of the Three Jewels” by Jatson Nyingpo (1585–1656)
  • Standing Buddha
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion in the Posture of Royal Ease
  • Travel Shrine
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Sheltered by the Serpent-King
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Meditating Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Female Monkey with Her Young
  • Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom
  • Head of the Buddha
  • Head of a Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni at the Moment of his Awakening
  • The Buddha Begins Teaching
  • Praying Priest
  • Vase with Lotus Vines and the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Bodhidharma Crosses the Yangtze River on a Reed
  • Budai
  • The Four Excursions
  • Mahasiddha Virupa
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as the Patron of fishermen
  • Portrait of the Abbot Ennin
  • The Three Buddhas Dipankara, Shakyamuni, and Maitreya
  • Guhyamanjuvajra
  • Vajradhara, the Primordial Buddha
  • Dharmapala Yama
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Jambhala, the God of Wealth
  • The Arhats Vanavasin, Angaja, Kalika, and Ajita From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Half-length Portrait of the Zen Patriarch Bodhidharma
  • Dharani Sutra of the Heart of the Perfection of Insight
  • Monastic Rules for Monks
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion Sitting in Meditation
  • The Buddha’s Parinirvana
  • Padmasambhava
  • Standing Tara
  • Ushnishavijaya
  • Prince Siddhartha’s Wedding
  • The Arhats Panthaka, Gopaka, Nagasena, and Abheda From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Gendün Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama (1476–1542)
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Shakyamuni Enters Nirvana
  • Buddha Vairocana
  • Thangka of the Twenty-One Taras
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • The Layman Huashang and Two Lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Leaving for Homelessness
  • The Arhats Bakula, Rahula, Cudapanthaka, and Pindola From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617)
  • Bust of a Luohan
  • Buddha Shakyamuni with Scenes from his Life
  • The Arhats Kanakavasta, Vajriputra, Kanaka Bharadvaja, and Bhadra From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Dakini Vasya-Vajravarahi
  • Empress Jito, from the series “Parody of the Ogura Version of ‘One Hundred Poets, One Hundred Poems’ ”
  • Six Persimmons
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Relief of the Five Transcendent Buddhas
  • Amida Nyorai, Buddha of the Western Paradise
  • The Four Pleasures of Nan Shenglu (detail)
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Votive Stela with Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Prophecy of the Wise Asita
  • Buddhist Votive Stela of the Yan Family
  • Head of a Monk
  • The Ascetic Milarepa
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Stupa
  • The Death of the Buddha
  • Stupa
  • Sitatara, White Tara
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • State Oracle Garment
  • The Prophecy of the Buddha Dipankara
  • Dharmatala and two lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Buddha Shakyamuni as a Newborn Infant
  • Buddhist Monastic Rules from the Pali Canon
  • Hotei
  • Large Votive Stupa
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion as the Bringer of Sons
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Rectangular Coin
  • Buddha Maitreya
  • Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
  • Standing Monk with Hands Folded
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Pancha Raksha Manuscript
  • The Transcendent Buddha Akshobhya
  • The Buddha Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Stela Showing Scenes from the Life of the Buddha
  • Portrait of the Zen Priest Gemmon Doyu
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Ceremonial Dagger Featuring the God of Death
  • Gazelle
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • Standing Bodhisattva
  • Votive Stela Depicting Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Head of the Buddha
  • Sakya Pandita (1182–1252)
  • Taima Mandala, the Buddha Amida’s Paradise
  • Great Stupa at Sanchi
  • Buddhist Pocket-sized Prayer Altar
  • Monumental Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Yakshi, Nymph with Lotus Flowers, fragment of a baluster
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Attains Awakening Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Buddha Shakyamuni and the Earth-Touching Gesture
  • Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Head of a Lokeshvara
  • Machig Labdrön
  • Vijaya Stupa
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Green Tara (Shyama Tara)
  • Baisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Plaque Showing the Buddha Teaching
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddhist Monk
  • Buddha Dipankara, the Buddha of the Past
  • Buddha Shakyamuni 
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Zen Priest in a Golden Wrap
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Mara’s Daughters Tempt the Buddha
Buddha Shakyamuni with Scenes from his Life

Buddha Shakyamuni with Scenes from his Life

Buddha Shakyamuni is seated on a richly adorned throne at the centre of the picture. The gesture he is making refers to the moment of his awakening. Around him his life story is told in numerous scenes. It opens at the top left with his birth and continues anticlockwise; in the lower section we witness his adolescent years, followed at the bottom right by his flight from the palace, and then his awakening to Buddhahood. After several scenes describing his work as a teacher, the story ends at the top right with his death.