Intro to Buddhist Art
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- čas přidán 21. 02. 2018
- What are some of the hallmarks of Buddhist art, and how has it developed over the years? These are big questions that we will only begin to tackle in this video. We'll look at Buddhist art with an emphasis on its origins, and finally ask the question whether anything really qualifies as Buddhist art at all!
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One reference: John C. Huntington. "The Origin of the Buddha Image: Early Image Traditions and the Concept of Buddhadarsanapunya," in Studies in Buddhist Art of South Asia, ed. A. K. Narain (New Delhi: Kanak, 1985), 27.
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I'm learning a lot from your lessons, thank you very much. Would love to see that video on art, Buddhism and the apparent irreconcilability of the aesthetic experience. Congratulations on your channel, cheers!
You're very welcome Felipe, thanks for your comment!
I enjoyed this as I've only begun to appreciate the western Greco-Roman influence in icons, cave paintings and stone carvings in the last few years. Knowing a rather famous family of Newari artisans, I've acquired a small collection in that style as well as a few in the Tibetan style, also prevalent in Nepal.Having camped across Tibet in 2006 it was great to see chapels built around large hammered Buddhas containing the ashes of the many Panchen Lamas. I've always been attracted to Buddhist art and now, with the internet, enjoy new experiences each day thanks to folks like you. Namo Sangha ya!
Thanks Lex. Yes, I have a soft spot in my heart for Buddhist art as well. 🙏
While no statues, there were certainly images of the Buddha earlier. Behroozy and Naghipourfar report images of the Buddha on coins of a Greek king in Arachosia (in the Achaemenid empire, Persia) in 180-165 B.C.E. In additon to Buddha feet, the ancient Buddhists had stupas and chaityas. Graffiti might not qualify as Buddhist art, but it is very interesting as to early icons. Graffiti of stupas is found 1st C.E. in both the Karakoram pass (going to Khotan and Kashgar), and in Socotra, an island off Yemen where sailors from India stayed while waiting to go to port or to go home (1st - 5th C.E.). Much of that was from the Kushan period, during which Buddhapada were also done in Iran.
Some of these early images are controversial and have been given different interpretations. I did a separate video on Buddha images here based around Robert Caroli's excellent book: czcams.com/video/qRqxuxS1qUg/video.html
Interesting and worthwhile video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Doug, thanks for this nice intro to Buddhist art and the ending reflection was really useful!
I was wandering though why you touched on music in the end, but didn't touch on poetry as an art form. As poetry is a part of the Tipitaka: the Theragatha (and Dhammapada in some sense). Also great poets in the Japanese and Chinese traditions like Ryokan, Basho, Hanshan and so on.
Maybe as part of the series?
Definitely looking forward to the video about why sense pleasures are problematic, as in the Buddhist texts it gets repeatedly hammered on.
Great point Joris, I didn’t touch on poetry because my video was getting too long as it was! 😄 But yes, a similar point could be made about the poetic aspect of Buddhist teaching as it could for instance for Plato’s, who is another teacher that had a skeptical attitude towards certain art forms.
Zen Buddhist philosophy in Haiku poetry hit me like a spiritual sledge hammer when I first chanced upon it ...or did it seek me out?! ^^
i have gone thru about 10 of your videos today. great stuff keep going! Sadhu
Glad you like them! 🙏
Doug, there are dynamic styles of Buddhist art forms like Zen and and the art of archery in Japan, Ch'an and the art of Shaolin Kungfu in China and Zen and the art of horse maintenance in Mongolia. ^^
Thanks Mael-Strom, those are interesting examples as well. It might come down to what one considers "art" though.
Hi Doug. Thank you again for another great topic.
I find it interesting to see the difference between Zen or Taoist artists and those from many great western painters, prior to our modern age. In the former, people are shown in proportion to the scene, so a man or woman might be a tiny figure against a mountain. In the west, the sitter is dominant and imposing with the landscape behind becoming nothing more than a backdrop to frame their importance. They were often shown in sumptuous clothes or military attire.
Eastern art was also fond of using humour or even ridicule. This can be seen, for example, in illustrations of Chuang Tzu, Bodhidharma or the Ox Herding pictures. It says a lot about how each culture saw the status of humans in regard to nature. It feels to me like an understanding of anatta in comparison to an inflated ego. Somehow, I can lose myself in the eastern pictures and melt into the scenery.
Interesting thoughts martynsnan, thanks!
❤❤❤ thanks for beautiful information... and thanks science journey you tube..
Most welcome 😊
I always watch your vids Doug, thank you so much for making the Dhamma that much more clear, what a gift you are to us all. But, I must say, when I looked up “Buddhist Art” I was shocked to see you at the top of THAT Buddhist-related search result, too! My man is the face of practical Dhamma on YT! Namo buddhaya
Edit/PS: I really appreciate the formats of your videos. You give the a quick pre-intro just to say, “okay that’s what this video is about today”, then cut to the opening credits, then give your full intro. Are you a professor?
Thanks! I'm not a professor, I gave up academia awhile back, but this and the Online Dharma Institute are my "universities" now. 😄
@@DougsDharma Understandable, then thank you for providing your info for free! :)
hello Doug, great video. you've brought an interesting point in the end about enjoyment of the art, and I'd like to know your thoughts about buddhist music? I've heard that some schools do not agree that there should be any music where others use bells, flutes, drums, horns and gongs. could that be a topic of a video? also, I think it might be important to emphasizes that buddhism from Tibet and China came to Japan, and so they share some similarities (the music from Tibet and esoterism, from China the mind- set of simplicity). any ways thank you and keep the good work you do. may your life be meaningful and peacful
Thanks omer appel. I've thought about doing a video on Buddhist music, though apart from say Philip Glass I don't really know much about the subject. But yes, in the early tradition monastics are not supposed to listen to music, perhaps because it tends to cloud the mind. That said, insofar as we are not monastics there really isn't any problem from the Buddha's point of view with musical entertainment.
Hi Doug,
Thanks for the video.
Well I am a "buddhist artist" or at least an artist influenced by zen philosophy. I am learning tea ceremony, calligraphy and ink wash painting (sumi-e). As a photographer and visual artist, I work toward the question of possible spiritual zen photography.
From my experience, I would say that the process of making is very important, at least in zen arts. In the end the result, isn't what's the most important. Therefor one practice "arts" (calligraphy and tea ceremont are not really considered as being "arts" in Japan) for himself. The practice itself is a way that can help you founding enlightment.
They use the kanji 道, to talk about there most important arts : tea, calligraphy, flower arrangement and incense ceremony (kodo). Ink painting used to be one with calligraphy (I can say that when you write you have the feeling of painting, when you paint of writting) but I have no idea why it was separated (I believe around the begining of Meiji era, which start from 1868).
That said, the way I have experience making zen art concerning this pleasure of senses. First of all, I am not sure zen art was ment to be beaitiful at first. We just learned how to see it in a beautiful way. Second, I feel that pleasure isn't ment to be bane, and that is maybe a very personnal to see it, but the attachement to it is what may cause you pain. Denying the beauty of something is denying reality maybe. It can be a pure way to interact with reality, a pure experience, outside of an attachement to an idea. Discipline and selfcontroll is what is very important. That doesn't mean that you cannot appreciate things for what they are.
ps : as an artist my name is Ymy Nigris
Thanks very much for this Ymy! I love the Zen aesthetic, it's probably my favorite. 😊
Great video as always. Did you ever end up making a video on sensual delights being problematic? I would love to hear your thoughts on that. Thanks!
I've done a few videos related to that topic, for example: czcams.com/video/_q8poVPPaPw/video.html
I am a Tattoo artist, been living in Nepal for a while and end up going into Buddhism, i plan to start my studies at a Tibetan Art School this year in Kathmandu, in my understanding Buddhist art is all about psychology and the deepest levels of mind, on an kind of arquetypal language, which i find fascinating.
Interesting! Best of luck on your studies!
A very interesting topic. Doug, you haven't covered the most important Buddhist statue, the Samadhi Buddha statue at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. This artwork answers your last question in the video of artwork that is both Buddhist and beneficial, as many people including political leaders have spoken of the feeling of calmness and peace they experienced in front of this statue. Your thoughts?
PS: I am very interested in seeing more videos on early Buddhist Art as there aren't many resources of available.
Yes, I agree, it certainly could be beneficial to contemplate such an image. Interestingly enough it seems in early Buddhism there was a strong reluctance to make any imagery at all of the Buddha. I did a video on that aspect of Buddhist art as well: czcams.com/video/qRqxuxS1qUg/video.html
The Buddah footprint with the Dharma wheel and the three jews is a genious symbol
Yes it's very nice! 🙂👣
It also would make sense that the artistic differences have to do with the different schools of Buddhism.
Oh for sure Master Adjuster. Each school has its own style.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about Sak Yant
I don't know much about it. Some tattoos can be beautiful, that's for sure.
Nice video..great information...helpful sir..joined u..stay connected.
Thanks so much, will do! 🙂
Thats crazy how a simple thing like a stick can tell stories and spark imagination
Buddhist arts can be viewed as an art form or a medium to deliver the Buddhist teachings, just like the various Buddhist doctrines. It really depends on what the beholders want to see. I also think temples and churches could be architectural art forms as wells as places of religious inspiration. The very important teaching in Buddhism is non-attachment. However, one needs to learn from the Buddhist teachings before one could fully understand what non-attachment is, and one needs to follow diligently such teachings in order to practice it. Eventually one must be free from any attachment including the Buddhist teachings themselves. The same reasoning applies to Buddhist arts as well..
Yes, well said Andrew! 🙏
ashoka's diamond throne from third century BC has buddhist iconography not to mention his numerous pillars and addicts have buddhist iconography, sanchi and bahrut stupa railings and gates are also from second century which have rich buddhist iconography, the buddhist. the amravathi also has rich iconogrphy from nearly sam period, and not to mention the countless cave temples in maharashtra which contain buddhist iconography, the buddhist tradition of iconography was firmly established in india before gandhara ever took it in the common era.
Thanks hammad, for sure there was a lot of Buddhist iconography before the material from Gandhara was made. The claim though is that there was no tradition of depicting the Buddha himself before Gandhara. This has been disputed though by some scholars as I pointed out.
yes, my point is, gandhara had got influence from buddhist iconography which was already established firmly in india not the other way around, and aside artistic contributions, gandhara was never a center for buddhist philosophy as major schools were all located in either magadh or else where in india for example amravathi. the ideas flowed from there to gandhara and not the other way around.
For sure, Gandhara was influenced by elsewhere within Buddhism, however it was also a center of Buddhist ferment and study. The importance of it to artwork is that it blended the prior Buddhist iconography with Greek ideals of the human to produce Greco-Indian iconography of the Buddha and bodhisattvas. There is a good recent book about the discoveries of sutras from Gandhara by Richard Salomon. It is called The Buddhist Literature of Ancient Gandhara, you may be interested in it if you haven’t seen it yet! 🙏
the human representation of buddha is more a religious issue whether to represent buddha in human form or not, it was not some artistic conception which is often mislead to believe, i believe that whether to represent buddha in human form or not was decided in bodh gaya rather than gandhara because all major schools were/are situated there, im not implying that gandhara is not imortant, but im simply stating that one is inflating importance of gandhara, it cannot be more important that lets say nalanda, sarnath, bodh gaya, amravathi, sanchi etc.
Ah yes, in a general sense perhaps not, although Salomon makes the point that Gandhara was actually quite important. In the context of Buddhist art and iconography, particularly personal iconography of the Buddha, Gandhara was of key importance. That’s so even if it wasn’t literally the first place the Buddha was put into representational form. 🙏
Buddhay tasmay Namah
I have always been intrigued to learn the statue of a Thai Buddha resembles a fire 🔥, and Nirvana is the extinction of that fire.
Interesting, though if nirvana is the extinction of the fire shouldn't a Buddha statue not resemble fire? 🤔
Hello sir. I m research scholar and my topic is Buddhist Iconography. Can you help me in my thesis work? Kindly reply me sir....
Wouldn’t it be only potentially problematic, rather than necessarily problematic? Wouldn’t it only cause problems if the art is clung to after it’s no longer useful, being why sand mandalas are brushed away?
Oh for sure Kezz. It’s just that for the Buddha sense pleasures have that tendency: they tend to get clung to. The trick is to attend without clinging. 🙂
Oh and sand mandalas are a great example of displaying the dharma. Thanks for bringing that up!
Speaking of clinging, I have a topic request I'd love to hear your insights on, and that's application of Buddhist principles to clothing.
A couple of thoughts that I've been going over include:
A) Aren't robes that must be a specific color and style a form of clinging, i.e. to rites and rituals, to self identity and so on?
B) What would be the way to apply the principles that originally gave rise to the patchwork robes, but in today's context? Am I right in my understanding that it was about practising humility, non-attachment, and not being wasteful?
Could application of these principles today include things like buying second hand clothes from stores where the money goes to charity, and seeking out clothing produced with a principle of no harm / minimal harm?
It would be great to hear your take on the topic.
Great idea, I'll put it on the list to make a video about! 😀
Doug's Secular Dharma Awesome, looking forward to it!
Yo.. so what if Petra in Jordan was built as the first grand rooms for the invisible Gods
All Indian Rock Cut Architecture or Stone Sculpture is Greek in Origin and all Greek Rock Cut Architecture or Stone Sculpture is Egyptian in Origin.
For the Greek Origin of the Indian works, read :
'The Ship in the Cave : The Greek and Nautical Origin of Buddhist Architecture'
For the Egyptian Origin of the Greek works, read :
'Chapter 4' of 'Pharaohs Fellahs and Explorers' by Egyptologist 'Amelia Edwards'
Hmmm ... not sure about that one Dipayan. Mohenjo-daro?
@@DougsDharma Oh yes, Doug. I wasn't really talking about that. I meant 'Rock Cut Architecture' or 'Stone Sculpture'. That is what the Indians learnt from the Greeks and the Greeks learnt from the Egyptians ...
Hiii..
I am from India and Buddhist..
Your understanding of vajrayana is adequate and you said sexualize image is not correct.aspect or ideas behind it is very much different.read about it more.Shakti and aradhana of shakti is part of vajrayana..
Other things are OK ,but you need more study.
Thanks 🌹