Arts of the Kushan Empire: The First Buddha Images

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Early Buddhism
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Basic Information --Siddharta Gautama (the
Buddha) died ca. 566 BCE --He began a reform
movement in Hinduism. --The reform mostly
appealed to a wealthy urban merchant
class. --Hinduism emphasized several important
ethical concepts --reincarnation --karma the
accumulated merit/demerit thru cycle of all past
lives --Buddha sought to escape this weight by
eliminating the idea of the self
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Four Noble Truths 1. Life is full of discontent
(dukka) 2. Discontent is caused by craving
(tanha) --the desire for pleasant things --the
desire to avoid unpleasant things --the desire
for things to stay the same 3. There is a way to
overcome craving. 4. It involves the eightfold
path involving mental/physical focus
discipline
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• Some core concepts of Buddhism
• Impermanence nothing stays the same, everything
  changes.
• Interconnectedness everything relies on
  everything else there is no individual thing.
• Emptiness there is no self
• 4. Compassion feel empathy for all sentient
  beings.

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Arhat
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Early Buddhism the Mauryan Empire
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(No Transcript)
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Rock-carved edicts of Ashoka Mauryan period, 3rd
century BC from Tucker, p. 200
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Great stupa at Sanchi Mauryan period
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Examples of early Buddhist symbolism 2nd-1st
century BC
Worship of tree (two examples)
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Worship of footprints
Worship of stupa
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Buddha visiting Kapilavastu 2nd-1st century BC
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The Great Departure 2nd-1st century BC
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Arts of the Kushan Empire The First Buddha
Images
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Sacred Rocks of Hunza along the Karakorum
highway, northern Pakistan
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Sacred Rocks of Hunza along the Karakorum
highway, northern Pakistan
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Head of King Kanishka Sanskrit
inscription Sacred Rocks of Hunza, northern
Pakistan
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Tucker, p. 33
Kushan coins 1st-2nd centuries AD
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Tucker, p. 34
Kushan Boddo coin King Kanishka on obverse 2nd
century AD
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Tucker, p. 34
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Tucker, p. 37
Red sandstone railing Mathura, 2nd century AD
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Tucker, p. 35
Red sandstone relief Mathura, 2nd century AD
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Tucker, p. 48
Birth of the Buddha Grey schist
frieze Gandhara 2nd-3rd centuries AD
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Tucker, p. 35
King making an offering Grey schist
frieze Gandhara 2nd-3rd centuries AD
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Tucker, p. 207
Buddha in meditation Limestone Bactria 2nd
century AD
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Head of the Buddha Grey schist Gandhara 2nd-3rd
centuries AD
Key features Urna Ushnisha Short curly hair Long
earlobes
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Head of the Buddha Stucco Gandhara 4th-5th
centuries AD
Tucker, p. 39
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Tucker, p. 48
Head of Layman and Bodhisattva Dark Grey/Black
Schist Gandhara 2nd-3rd centuries AD
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Standing Buddha Grey schist Gandhara 2nd-3rd
centuries AD
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Standing Bodhisattvas Grey schist Gandhara,
2nd-3rd century AD
Tucker, p. 46
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Tucker, p. 210
Standing Bodhisattva Painted clay Bactria, 3rd
century AD
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Seated Buddha Grey schist Gandhara 2nd-3rd
centuries AD
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Mudras(Buddhist hand positions)
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Dhyana Mudra symbolizing meditation for seated
Buddha images
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Seated Buddha in meditation Bas relief Grey
schist Gandharan period
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Tucker, p. 39
Buddha figures in niches Gandhara 4th-5th
centuries AD
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Vitarka Mudra symbolizing teaching for standing
or seated Buddha images
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Large Buddha images flanked by relief
sculptures Stucco Hadda, modern
Afghanistan 3rd-4th century AD
Tucker, p. 50
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Dharmacakra Mudra symbolizing debate for
standing or seated Buddha images
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Painted Buddha image Fresco Bamiyan (Afghanista
n) 3rd-4th century AD
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Abhaya Varada Mudras symbolizing reassurance
and compassion often together for standing or
seated Buddha images
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Seated Buddha flanked by disciples Limestone
Yunmeng caves, northern China Northern Wei
dynasty 5th century AD
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Bhumisparsa Mudra symbolizing calling the earth
to witness his enlightenment for seated Buddha
images
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Seated Buddha Grey limestone Tang dynasty 7th
century AD