Art

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