Art

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

Stela Showing Scenes from the Life of the Buddha

Buddhist art from Gandhara is renowned for its numerous narrative representations of events in the life of Buddha Shakyamuni. 

The topmost, slightly damaged scene shows the Buddha miraculously pacifying a raging elephant sent to kill him by his jealous cousin Devadatta. Below that is a conversion scene. An unidentified bodhisattva is shown in the bottom section.