Art

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