Buddhist Images

I have always had a passing interest in world religions, especially their art forms. Being European, the fascination for exotic religion and its art did not pass me by, also being a youth in the Hippie period meant that the media also force fed us Indian mystics and all that stuff. Oddly it was again my interest in the Japanese martial and civil arts that focused my attention to Buddhism. 

To my amazement the ancient Japanese Buddhist sects were a war-like bunch, forming ferocious armies of monks that on occasions threatened not only there neighbours but indeed the stability of the whole country. 

The photograph (right) shows a Meiji period Satsuma ceramic depiction of Buddha, intricate work and (to some) over embellished with gold and polychrome enamels. Even so it has a peace and tranquility of image as well as being for the non believer, a wonderful hint of what may be one of the worlds great religions. 

The photograph (left) is a deity seated on a lotus throne, gilded wood and painted blue robe, this small figure with carved and gilded mandella behind it, was originally one of a number (perhaps a hundred) attached to a huge mandella backing a vast Buddhist image. 

This piece probably dates from the 15th century and was pillaged by occupying troops in the late 1940's.

The photograph below is resident of a wonderful temple of the Jade Buddha, Shanghai. Twenty five feet long and several tons in weight, this impressive piece of work was supposedly brought to Shanghai by monks in the early 19th century. The story goes that when Mao's revolutionary red guards were moving from city to city destroying religious and artistic works, this and other masterpieces were saved when the monks covered the entire temple with large poster images of Mao.  It was then impossible to break into this place without destroying Mao's image - so they moved on and it was left unscathed.

 

 

The final photograph is the lightest side of this brief examination into Buddhist images, they make splendid garden ornamentation, in no way degrading the image or religion, In fact it could be said that even in this form, we salute the art form. 

 

Greyman