Absence of the Buddha Image in Early Buddhist Art-Kanoko Tanaka-DKPD-9788124600900
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It is next to
impossible today to even think of Buddhism without the presence of the Buddha
image! The image of the Buddha, in truth, has not only come to symbolise the
essence of Buddhism but is also a brilliant expression of the
cultural/artistic achievements of the Buddhists since ancient times.
Surprisingly, the Buddha image developed at a later stage of the evolutionary
process; after the parinirvana of the Buddha, the Buddhists for a
considerable time beheld the Buddha and experienced him in their own minds
without taking recourse to the Buddha image itself. In Absence of the Buddha
Image in Early Buddhist Art, Dr. Tanaka, a well-versed scholar, has for the
first time ever explored the ‘absence’ of the Buddha image in Buddhist art —
particularly in the period from third century bc to late first century ad —
in order to rediscover the significance of this phenomenon. Dr. Tanaka
observes Bharhut and Sanchi sculptures to point out the most essential motifs
and elements of stupa-art design — the visible facts pertaining to the
absence of the Buddha image. The author studies the religious, philosophical,
artistic and political significance of the visible facts, highlighting the
concept of the ‘empty throne’ as the motif representative of that absence.
She applies the ‘empty throne’ concept to the sanctuaries of monotheistic
religions, and thus undertakes a comparative study of Buddhism and other
religions, particularly, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and
Sikhism to suggest that present-day discussions on the linkage between
religions can centre on this theme. The dexterous handling of the topic
combined with the author’s use of first-hand research material makes this an
erudite study. The directness in the author’s approach and the unwavering eye
on the theme sustains the interest throughout. An abundance of visual
material, i.e., drawings and photographs, and tables immensely aid in
analysis of the visible facts. This intense work on a rich theme offers
well-researched and interesting material that will be useful to scholars of
religious studies, fine arts and even philosophy. |
Book |
ISBN |
9788124600900
|
PUBLISHER |
DKPD |
Binding |
HARDCOVER |
Edition |
2ND 2014 |
Language |
ENGLISH |
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Absence of the Buddha Image in Early Buddhist Art-Kanoko Tanaka-DKPD-9788124600900