Transcript Buddhist Art and Architecture

Buddhist Art and Architecture
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The Borobodur Temple complex is one of
the greatest monuments in the world. It is
of uncertain age, but thought to have
been built between the end of the
seventh and beginning of the eighth
century A.D. For about a century and a
half it was the spiritual centre of
Buddhism in Java, then it was lost until its
rediscovery in the eighteenth century.
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The structure, composed of 55,000
square meters of lava-rock is erected on
a hill in the form of a stepped-pyramid of
six rectangular storeys, three circular
terraces and a central stupa forming the
summit. The whole structure is in the
form of a lotus, the sacred flower of
Buddha.
Buddhist Art and Architecture
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For each direction there are ninety-two
Dhyani Buddha statues and 1,460 relief
scenes. The lowest level has 160 reliefs
depicting cause and effect; the middle
level contains various stories of the
Buddha's life from the Jataka Tales; the
highest level has no reliefs or decorations
whatsoever but has a balcony, square in
shape with round walls: a circle without
beginning or end. Here is the place of the
ninety-two Vajrasattvas or Dhyani
Buddhas tucked into small stupas. Each
of these statues has a mudra (hand
gesture) indicating one of the five
directions: east, with the mudra of calling
the earth to witness; south, with the hand
position of blessing; west, with the
gesture of meditation; north, the mudra of
fearlessness; and the centre with the
gesture of teaching.
Buddhist Art and Architecture
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Besides being the highest symbol of Buddhism,
the Borobodur stupa is also a replica of the
universe. It symbolises the micro-cosmos, which
is divided into three levels, in which man's world
of desire is influenced by negative impulses; the
middle level, the world in which man has control
of his negative impulses and uses his positive
impulses; the highest level, in which the world of
man is no longer bounded by physical and
worldly ancient desire.
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It is devotional practice to circumambulate
around the galleries and terraces always turning
to the left and keeping the edifice to the right
while either chanting or meditating. In total,
Borobodur represents the ten levels of a
Bodhisattva's life which he or she must develop
to become a Buddha or an awakened one.
Buddhist Mandalas
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There are various forms of mandalas with
distinct concepts and different purposes. The
individual representations range from the socalled Cosmic Mandalas, which transmit the
ancient knowledge of the development of the
universe and the world-systems which
represents a high point among Mandalas
dedicated to meditation; to the Mandalas of the
Medicine Buddha which demonstrates how the
Buddha-power radiates in all directions,
portraying the healing power of the Buddha.
The symbolism of meditation Mandalas has a
rich tradition. The outer form of these so-called
holy circles is a geometrical diagram, a Yantra,
and each detail of its construction has symbolic
meaning. The essence or purpose of the
Mandala is concerned with the process of
invocation, the calling in and realization of the
spiritual force within the contemplator himself. All
these different picture-tools have essentially the
same inner meaning and purpose, but there are
mandalas to suit all levels of consciousness: for
the spiritually highly developed, for average
people and for people not yet developed.
Buddhist Mandalas
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The Cosmic Mandala is encompassed by a
flaming circle. At the Centre is a three-footed
spiral symbolizing a first movement, surrounded
by rotating wind which condenses into so-called
basic elements, representing the states of
aggregation: Wind or Air stands for the gaseous
state; Fire is usually depicted as a red triangle
and stands for transformation; Water for liquid,
represented by a half-circle or circle; Earth for
solid matter, symbolized by a yellow square or
cube. The emerging forms of the elements are
painted in the blue ring surrounding the Centre,
in the lower sphere intimating the worldcontinents to be. The blue Ether represents the
all pervading condition, the source of all
elements filling the space of the Mandala. On it
circles are drawn; looking like ellipses in their
dynamic intersection, they portray the orbits of
celestial bodies, painted in all the colours of the
rainbow plus black and white and indicating the
directions. These twelve astrological circles of
the upper sphere demonstrate the movements
of sun, moon and stars in the seasons.
Buddhist Mandalas
• Tibetan monks
constructing a festival
mandala with sand and
the dust of precious
stones. After the festival
the mandala will be
destroyed, thus
expressing the
insubstantiality of visible
forms.
Buddhist Thangka Paintings
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A thangka is a complicated, composite threedimensional object consisting of: a picture panel
which is painted or embroidered, a textile
mounting; and one or more of the following: a
silk cover, leather corners, wooden dowels at the
top and bottom and metal or wooden decorative
knobs on the bottom dowel.
Thangkas are intended to serve as a record of,
and guide for contemplative experience. For
example, you might be instructed by your
teacher to imagine yourself as a specific figure
in a specific setting. You could use a thangka as
a reference for the details of posture, attitude,
colour, clothing. etc., of a figure located in a
field, or in a palace, possibly surrounded by
many other figures of meditation teachers, your
family, etc..
In this way, thangkas are intended to convey
iconographic information in a pictorial manner. A
text of the same meditation would supply similar
details in written descriptive form.
Buddhist Thangka Paintings
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Only rarely do thangkas express the personal
vision or creativity of the painter, and for that
reason thangka painters have generally
remained anonymous as have the tailors who
made their mountings. This anonymity can be
found in many other cultures.
There are, however, exceptions to this
anonymity. Rarely, eminent teachers will create
a thangka to express their own insight and
experience. This type of thangka comes from a
traditionally trained meditation master and artist
who creates a new arrangement of forms to
convey his insight so that his students may
benefit from it. Other exceptions exist where
master painters have signed their work
somewhere in the composition.