Art

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