The 5th/6th century Buddhist monk Bodhidharma is considered the founder and patriarch of meditational Buddhism, known as dhyana in Sanskrit, Chan in Chinese, and Zen in Japanese. Although he was revered
The Sanskrit word “mandala” literally means a sacred center (la) that has been set apart or adorned (mand). In theory, therefore, a mandala can take
At 7 p.m., Lotos the 11-year-old mini-monk dashes up the stairs, his red robes billowing out behind him. He makes his way onto the monastery
“Sacred art is created in order to awaken our experience of the true reality. It should not remain unattended on a wall or shelf. We
Devout Patrons of Buddhist Art, on view at The National Museum of Korea in Seoul from 23 May to 2 August, is a special exhibition
Whilst many museums around the world have historically collected works of art from Myanmar, few have mounted exhibitions dedicated to the Buddhist art of that
The Buddhist deity Kshitigarbha, or “He who encompasses the Earth,” has a powerful and ubiquitous presence in Japan, where figures of him depicted as a
“One must be deeply aware of the impermanence of the world.” – Dogen Once upon a time, between the rolling hills of the Maharashtra plateau
Of all the artists I have known personally over the years who have featured Buddhist subjects and concepts in their work, photographer Alan McArthur most
“Return to Amida, Return to Amida, So even dewdrops fall,” wrote the Soto Zen hermit Ryokan (1756–1831) famously, and throughout his life he exhorted those
There are few better examples of the Mongolian Buddhist heritage than Ikh Khüree, known today as none other than Ulaanbaatar itself, the country’s capital. A
The hand gestures, or mudra, assumed by figures of the Buddha and other deities are some of the most fascinating aspects of Buddhist iconography. Similar
