Chapter 15: South And Southeast Asia Before 1200

Front 1

Buddha

Back 1

"The Enlightened one". An East Indian prince named Siddhartha Gautama, who renounced his wealth, family and social standing for an ascetic lifestyle to reach "enlightenment".

Front 2

Bodhi Tree

Back 2

Tree under which he meditated

Front 3

Four Noble Truths

Back 3

The core insights of Buddhism. Includes the Eightfold path.

Front 4

Back 4

Title: The life and death of the Buddha
Location: Gandhara, Pakistan
Time: 2nd century CE

Material: Schist rock

Front 5

Back 5

-Stone frieze
-Left to right in chronological order: (BESD) Buddha's birth at Lumbini, enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, first sermon at Sarnath, death at Kushingara

BUDDHA'S BIRTH
- Lumbini
-Queen Maya gives birth to Prince Siddharta, who emerges from her right hip.
-god Indra receiving him.
- Elegantly dressed ladies with peacock feathers suggest their opulent court life.

BUDDHA'S ENLIGHTENMENT
-Sitting beneath Bodhi Tree
-Soldiers and demons from evil Mara attempt to distract him from his quest for knowledge but are unsuccessful

BUDDHA'S SERMON

-Buddha teaching the Eightfold Path to nirvana in Deer Park at Sarnath
-Two deer and the Wheel of the Law beneath the figure of the Buddha

BUDDHA'S DEATH
-parinirvana
-Buddha lies dying among his devotees, some of whom wail in grief while one monk, who realizes the Buddha has been permanently released from suffering, remains tranquil in meditation.

Front 6

Indus Civilization

Back 6

-South Asian civilization that flourished from 2600 to 1500 BCE

-Most important sites: Mohenjo Daro and Harappa (present day Pakistan): fully developed cities, streets oriented to compass points, multi-storied houses of kiln baked bricks

-TRADED

- 1 OF THE WORLD'S SOPHISTICATED SYSTEMS OF WATER SUPPLY AND SEWAGE: private bathing areas, toilet facilities, drainage

-no surviving bldg identified as temple or palace

-all objects found are small

Front 7

Back 7

THE GREAT BATH

-at the heart of Mohenjo Daro

-a complex of rooms with a brick pool in the center

-probs for ritual bathing

Front 8

Back 8

ROBED MALE FIGURE

-Mohenjo Daro

-Material: Steatite

-Half closed eyes, low forehead, closely trimmed beard, shaved upper lip

-Headband and armband with central circular emblem

-Trefoils decorate his robe

-Holes on each side of neck suggest he also wore a necklace of precious metal. Eyes, trefoils and circles originally held red paste and shell inlays.

-Identity and rank uncertain but elaborate costume and precious materials make clear that he was an elite individual.

Front 9

Back 9

NUDE MALE TORSO
-from Harappa

-red sandstone

-highly polished surface

-swelling curves of abdomen reveal interest in the fluid movement of the living body

-pulsating vigor + emphasis on sensuous surfaces= characteristic of S Asian sculpture

Front 10

Back 10

SEAL WITH SEATED FIGURE IN YOGIC POSTURE

-Steatite seals with incised designs = most common Indus art objects

-Similar to stamp seals of Mesopotamia

- Most Indus seals= animal/tiny narrative carved on face with still-untranslated script

-boss (circular knob) permitted insertion of string so the owner could wear/hang it
-seals secured trade goods

-most represented animals (always strict profile): HUMPED BULL, ELEPHANT, RHINOCEROS, TIGER

-Male figure w/ horned headdress, 3 faces and erect penis

-Among animals in profile

-Figures position suggest yogic posture = suggests imp meditative practice?