Intro To Asian Art Exam 2

Vedic Period

* ca. 1500-600 BCE - Intervening period between Indus and Early Buddhist period of India - Associated with religious writings (Vedas, ca. 1000 BCE) - Also, Upanisads (later, ca. 7th BCE) - Migration of Yueh-Che and other nomads into India (loosely called Aryans) (forced Dravidians to 4 southern states in India

Dravidians: Indus population

- Indigenous population created Indus civilization - Later epochs of civilization blends Indo Europeans (called Aryans, generally collectively

Early Buddhism in India (KEY WORKS)

► The Great Stupa at Sanchi, 3rd century BCE to 1st century CE, Maurya Dynasty, patron, Ashoka's son (Hinayana Buddhism) ► East gateway of Stupa at Sanchi, female figure (Yakshi) (Queen Maya), 1st century CE, Andhra period (Hinayana Buddhism) ► Lion Capital from Ashoka Memorial pillar, Sarnath 3rd century BCE, Maurya Dynasty (Hinayana Buddhism), Sandstone ► Buddhist Chaitya-hall at Karli, vertical section, ground plan, and interior, Andhra period, 2nd century CE, rock-cut Indian Buddhism

► Theravada/Hinayana Buddhism:

School of Buddhism that believes Buddha is a historical figure and a great teacher. Each person must work out his or her own salvation by exactly following what Buddha did to achieve his enlightenment.

► Jataka tales:

Stories of the previous lives of Buddha

India: Maurya Period (332-184 BCE)

Emperor Ashoka (273-232 BCE)

Stupa:

Hemisphere burial mound houses ashes of Buddha or other holy persons

Yakshi:

Hindu female local deity of fertility

The Chaitya-hall at Karli, with vihara: (pic)

In addition to the stupa, the other two important Buddhist architectural forms are chaitya-hall (sacred places for Buddhists) and vihara (a dwelling place for monks). Karli is an example of the chaitya-hall, which was cut out of living rock (see plan, elevation and view of interior, below). Many chaitya-hall had viharas attached to them. The two together served as a monastery setting for early Buddhist devotees.

Buddha:

Literally means "The Awakened One," the founder of Buddhism.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi: (pic)

- Stupas were burial mounds which housed the ashesof Buddha, and became pilgrimage sites for the faithful. The construction of 3 stupas at Sanchi were probably supervised by Ashoka's son. The location became one of the most important early Buddhist pilgrimage sites. The largest stupa (shown below) is called the Great Stupa was renovated and greatly enlarged in later periods. It preserves the most important features of this class of early Buddhist architecture. - Each part of the structure of the stupa has symbolic meanings of Buddha's enlightenment and his royal birth. Many Jataka stories (stories of Buddha's previous life) were depicted on the four gateways. (Note: one of four monumental gateways seen above). Footprints, Boh tree, and even the stupa, itself, refer to Buddha's presence, but there is no image of Buddha in human form at these early sites. We call this an aniconic tradition under the influence of Theravada school. - Circumambulations of the stupas symbolize following the path of Buddha. The styles of the sculptures such as the Yakshi (see bracket statue of Queen Maya, in later section) on the east gateway of the Great Stupa can be traced back to fertility figures from the Indus Valley civilizations.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi (3rd century BCE-1st century CE): (pic)

- The Great Stupa was begun probably sometime during the 3rd BCE and had later additions. It is constructed of brick and rubble and faced with gilded stucco with rails of white stone. We may assume that stupas were the first sacred Buddhist buildings and that The Great Stupa at Sanchi is its earliest surviving example. The core of The Great Stupa probably originates from the 3rd century BCE Here, as in many Indian stupas, the original building was encased in a mass of earth and stone for when it was enlarged it was the custom not to commit the sacrilege of destroying the original monument. - The Great Stupa at Sanchi stands on a hill rising out of the plain not far from Bhopal in Central India. The stupa is a burial mound; its form dates back to prehistoric times. This monumental form, as used for the burial of princes, had the shape of a large hemisphere. At an early date, this kind of tomb developed into a commemorative monument, and was adopted by Buddhists as one of their main symbols and as the center of their religious compounds. The stupa was an actual tomb, placed over the remains of the historical Buddha or other holy persons. A stupa also acts as a symbol to commemorate a sacred place such as sites where important events took place in Buddha's mortal life. The stupa played a crucial role in Buddhist beliefs for it is the very symbol of nirvana, or final redemption, the goal of every Buddhist. - All such monuments follow a similar plan. They are mounds of rubble and brick faced with stone, covered with white stucco partly gilded and surmounted by a three (or more) part umbrella symbolizing the three most basic aspects of Buddhism -- the Buddha himself, Buddha's Law and the Monastic Order. The rail around the umbrella shaft is thought to reflect the ancient concept of marking off a precinct around a sacred tree, symbolic of vitality and fertility. On the base around the hemispherical dome is a narrow path along which processions moved. A second path is at ground level where pilgrims could circumambulate clockwise symbolic of walking the Path of Life around the World Mountain, following an ancient Indian rite of following the path of the sun while making offerings and ritual performances. The entire monument is enclosed within a tall stone railing which isolates the sanctuary from the outside world. Access to it is gained through four monumental gateways or toranas, some ten meters in height and set at the cardinal directions. The uprights and crossbars of the toranas are lavishly carved with stories from the life of Buddha; with Jataka tales, edifying legends in which Buddha is shown as pious and wise; and with large guardian figures called yakshas and yakshis, ancient gods and goddesses of fertility. These lively sculpted panels contrast dramatically with the massive character of the stupa and railing, emphasizing their narrative content. - It is significant that Buddha himself is not represented in figural form -- a kind of symbolism called aniconic, or without image. His presence is suggested by symbols such as a wheel, footprints, a throne, or the Boh tree, all important emblems of his life. In this period of Theravada Buddhism, it was thought to be impossible to represent Buddha in human form since he had already passed into nirvana, an otherworldly state of being. - A richly decorated structure such as the Great Stupa took decades to complete. We can no longer see these monuments in their former splendor, with smooth white or gaily-colored plaster exteriors and sculpted decoration with polychrome painting. The sculpture depicted stories quite like folk tales and brought the life of Buddha to its visitors in familiar terms. The massive domes frequently contain a system of concentric or radial supporting walls arranged by symbolic considerations rather than technical considerations. They face the points of the compass and represent rays leading out from the center, a plan in the form of a mandala, or diagram of the cosmos. This was not visible from the exterior, but was of crucial importance for the sacred substance of the monument. Its profound importance in Buddhist belief and practice is attested to by its long use and survival into the present day. - These early constructions celebrate the life of the historic Buddha, a man called Siddartha Gautama. He was born about 560 BCE of a noble family living in the foothills of the Himalayas. He gave up his princely life of fine robes and jewels in order to seek out the cause of suffering, disease and misery which he saw all around him. India of the sixth century BCE was undergoing rapid and violent political and social change. As had many of his contemporaries, Prince Gautama renounced his former life and, as an ascetic, contemplated and discussed the sorrows of the world with other learned recluses on the outskirts of villages. At age thirty-five he sat under a large pipal tree in the town of Gaya and resolved not to leave his seat until the riddle of suffering was solved. - After hosts of temptations, he sank deeper and deeper into meditation and at dawn on the 49th day he knew the truth, the secret of sorrow, and knew what to do to overcome it - release the mortal soul from the cycle of rebirth. He had reached nirvana. He remained seated under this Tree of Wisdom (the Boh tree) meditating on the truths he had found. He then journeyed to Deer Park (modern Sarnath) and preached his first sermon - in Buddhist phraseology, he "set the Wheel of the Law in motion." Soon he had a band of sixty ascetics who became his followers as he went on preaching the Buddhist dharma (doctrine). For 8 months of the year they wandered from place to place, but in the rainy season they stopped at one of the parks given by wealthy lay followers to live there in huts. These were the first of the great Buddhist monasteries of later times. - Buddha's quest was a personal one. He sought nirvana, a refined stage of enlightenment accepted by adherents of various religions of the time. Nirvana marked an end to the cycle of rebirth and was thought of as a state of enduring, permanent bliss -- called the Supreme Truth or Reality. Buddhist dharma claims that there is no existence without suffering, that the cause of suffering is egocentric desire and that the elimination of desire will end suffering. - After Buddha's death at age 80 in about 480 BCE, the religion grew and changed along with the political institutions of India. The third leader of the first great Indian Empire called the Mauryan Dynasty (322-183 BCE) was named Ashoka (269-232 BCE). He expanded Mauryan political influence over much of the subcontinent. According to tradition, Ashoka was moved to remorse and pity by the horrors of war and came to the conclusion that true power was realized through religion, not force. Thus he became an active patron of Buddhism and supported the communities of monks. The political might of the Mauryans, as well as their patronage, brought the full institutionalization of Buddhism. A set of Buddhist offices was created; numbers of monks occupied monasteries which acquired property; the canon was expanded, diversified and refined. Ashoka himself is said to have erected 84,000 stupas over the relics of Buddha throughout the Empire. Thus the search for personal salvation by one man, Buddha, became an apparatus involving millions of people supported by one of the world's greatest ancient empires. - The stupas became the center of life in the monasteries including buildings used as lecture halls, kitchens and hostels. Their locations and the life ways of the monks were guided by recollections of Buddha's life. These chaityas (sacred locations) were to a remarkable degree coincident with trade routes of the day as the initial spread of religion under the state patronage of Ashoka was linked to commerce. Since Buddhists enjoyed the protection of the state, traders associating with them came under the same protective umbrella. Monasteries were safe havens which received the financial support of their visitors. The symbiosis between monks and traders was ultimately the agency that took this religion out of India and into China, Japan and Southeast Asia

Vihara:

A basic Buddhist architectural form constructed as a large dwelling place divided into cells of monks.

Chaitya-hall:

A hall containing a stupa, a fundamental Buddhist architectural form with pillars and vaulted roof, a sacred place for gathering of the faithful.

Emperor Ashoka:

An emperor of ancient India of the Maurya dynasty. He contributed to the spread of Buddhism and was a great patron of Buddhist art.

Discuss the patronage, iconography, material and use of the Great Stupa at Sanchi and how it is related to Theravada Buddhism.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi was commissioned by the son of Emperor Ashoka in the Maurya dynasty in the 3rd century BCE and reconstructed in later periods until 1st century CE The stupa was a burial mound. Part of the remains of the historical Buddha was buried in it. A stupa also acts as a symbol to commemorate sacred places such as sites where important events took place in Buddha's mortal life. The stupa played a crucial role in Buddhist beliefs for it is the very symbol of nirvana, or final redemption, the goal of every Buddhist. The stupa was constructed with rubble and brick faced with stone, covered with white stucco partly gilded and surmounted by a three (or more) part umbrella symbolizing the three most basic aspects of Buddhism -- the Buddha himself, Buddha's Law and the Monastic Order. The rail around the umbrella shaft is thought to reflect the ancient concept of marking off a precinct around a sacred tree, symbolic of vitality and fertility. The paths are for pilgrims to circumambulate clockwise symbolic of walking the Path of Life around the World Mountain. The path is enclosed within a tall stone railing which isolates this sanctuary from the outside world. The four monumental gateways are set at the cardinal directions. The uprights and crossbars are lavishly carved with stories from the life of Buddha, or Jataka tales. No images of Buddha are shown, but there are symbols of the presence of Buddha such as footprints, stupa, Boh tree, etc. This aniconic-iconic tradition reflects the Theravada school of Buddhism which regarded Buddha as a historical figure.

KEY SLIDES AND EARLY BUDDHIST MONUMENTS FROM THE MAURYA DYNASTY OF KING ASOKA, AND THE KUSHAN AND SUNGA DYNASTIES (3RD C. BCE - 2ND C. CE).

The Lion Capital (pic)

The Lion Capital

The crowning, decorative capital of a 40 foot cosmic pillar erected by King Asoka to symbolize his rule, and the kingdom's new Buddhist state religion. King Asoka defined the boundaries newly expanded territory of the Maurya Dynasty with huge pillars erected at key points across the land. He topped the columns with decorative capitals that featured heraldic images of the lion, a symbol of royalty borrowed from the Persian empire. The lion capitals were at once a symbol of the king and also the Prince of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama.

Nirvana:

The state after which a person is released from the cycle of rebirth

Describe the symbols on the lion capital from Sarnath and explain why they are important.

This capital was from Sarnath, the place where Buddha gave the First Sermon. It was a capital made of sandstone originally on top of an edict pillar set up by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE The four lions originally supported a large wheel, symbolizing the First Sermon of Buddha, or Turning of the Wheel of the Law. The lions of Persian style were not only symbols of royalty, a reference to Ashoka himself, but also a totem of Buddha's clan, the Shakyas. Thus, the lions could also refer to the royal birth of Buddha. Underneath the lions is a drum with Buddhist symbols of a wheel and four animals, consecutively the bull, horse, lion, and the elephant. The drum itself could also symbolize the Wheel of the Law, and the four animals appeared to be pulling an invisible vehicle set in motion by the Wheel of the Law. In between the four animals are four wheels, again symbolizing the turning of the Wheel of the Law. The lions and wheel are ancient sun symbols which imply the Buddha illuminating the spiritual world as the sun illuminates the physical world. To the bottom is a bell-shaped base in the form of a lotus symbolizing the purity of Buddha. This pillar supporting the capital was covered with the edict of Ashoka. It shows the support of Buddhism by Emperor Ashoka, and demonstrates the political and religious power of Ashoka.

Early Buddhism in India (LEARNING OBJECTIVES )

►Describe the origin and major doctrines of Buddhism. ► Identify the lion capital from the column at Sarnath and describe its symbolic meaning in a religious and political context as well as the role of King Ashoka in the spread of Buddhism. ► List the three fundamental Buddhist architectural forms and explain their functions. ► Identify the Great Stupa at Sanchi and discuss its importance. ► Describe the shape of the stupa and its symbolic meaning. ► Describe the materials and technique of the construction of the Stupa. ► Explain the function of the Stupa ► Examine the sculptures on the gateways of the Stupa and describe what they are. ► Identify a Yakshi, explain what it is and compare it with a terra cotta female figurine of the Indus Valley (Week I #1). ► Describe the interior of the chaitya-hall at Karli and explain how it is used.