Buddhism the Foundations and Travels

Buddhism

The foundations and travels of world philosophies and religions are often bound by the ascetic images, as they are demonstrated by the different cultures of the periods in which they travel. As the faith travels the imagery and discipline is translated regionally through mission works and local artisan style and craft. Theravada Buddhism can serve as a stark example of ascetic influence, through its travels as it spread the ideas of faith through artistic expression and created a path of ascetic influence through many cultures and nations. The foundation of Theravada Buddhist art is the narrative tradition, often depicted in temple paintings.

The Nayaja Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. Every Buddhist temple has objects to remind worshippers of the Buddha's teaching. In addition to images of the Buddha himself, there is the dagoba, which preserves relics of his body or possessions, and the bo tree (a direct descendant of the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment). http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/_/viewer.aspx?path=hut&name=4889n073.jpg

The art was a reminder to the worshipers of the nature of the Buddha's life, which is to serve as an example to the living. With the artistic representation as well as the demonstrative political and social movements of the various periods of history in Sri Lanka as well as other locations of strong Theravada tradition the translation of this art form was made to events following the life of Buddha, such as the amazing paintings of the relic travels, that can be found at the temple of the tooth relic which are actually restorative works from the late 19th century by artist Solius Mendis at: Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mettanet.org/temples/kelaniya/m3.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.mettanet.org/temples/kelaniya/murels.htm&h=362&w=250&sz=84&hl=en&start=13&um=1&tbnid=3uDj0TLBu563bM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=84&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drelic%2Btooth%2Bpaintings%2Bsri%2Blanka%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

With this tradition came the tradition of mixing the political with the spiritual, as depictions were often commissioned by royalty to adorn temples, monasteries and palaces as well as other public works.

In this work the comparison between two works, the first being the Buddhist cave painting at Hindagala Raja Maha Vihara in Sri Lanka:

One of the paintings portrays the Buddha residing at Indrasala cave, in Magadhadesa (north-eastern India) and god Indra (Sakra) visiting him and posing questions to him and the Buddha answering them to the satisfaction of Indra. This encounter is narrated in the Sakkapannasutta of the Sutta Nikaya. Prof. Senarath Paranavithana is of the opinion that the name 'Hindagala' is a derivative of Indasala or Hindasala." http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=1012&sid=3c4c2a8ac63ad399230bebee1ec47cef

The second work being discussed is a stone carving called the Isurumuniya lovers located at Isurumuniya Anuradhapura will demonstrate the manner in which the aesthetic was altered as a result of the philosophy of Theravada Buddhism. These two works cover different subject matters the first being a direct Buddist Narrative and the second the depiction of two famed characters of royalty whose star crossed love caused the prince to renounce his throne.

Though the majority of this type of ascetic demonstrates relationships between people, as an essential theme the ascetic is clearly altered in "historic" versus spiritual mythical creation. "Isurumuniya temple, in Anuradhapura, built in the 3rd century B.C. is noted for its rock carvings. The best known among these is the "Lovers." Many a poet and song writer has taken inspiration from this carving to write their masterpieces. It is believed that the carving may represent Saliya, and the low-caste maiden whom he loved. Saliya was the son of the great king Dutugamunu." http://www.infolanka.com/photo/hist.html. The sculpture itself is dated to 7th century AD.

Basham, 1954, p. null47)

The value of imagery in Theravada Buddhism is clear all over the world but the intertwining of the faith with politics in Sri Lanka over many centuries, especially during the classical period, the source of both these images, leaves a particular mark on the alteration of imagery as a result of philosophy. In Theravada Buddhism the royal class is derivative of cosmic man and therefore an extension of that which is holy and therefore the tradition of depicting monarchs and their offspring in narrative representations such as the Isurumuniya lovers reflect the cast system defined in the latter cannon of the Veda. (Gombrich, 1988, p. 38) the acts and deeds of men and women of this class became the new narrative of the faith, from the careful passage of relics into the country to their acts of love and relational connection that changed the lives of many, and intertwined with the cultural depictions of Buddhist narrative, also found at Isurumuniya. (Rowland, 1953, p. 204) (Hallisey, 2003, p. 696)

The Ceylon [now Sri Lanka] Chronicle (Mah-mvam-sa)) is primarily a history of Buddhism in Ceylon though it gives reliable information on political history. It is perhaps unjust to maintain that India had no sense of history whatever, but what interest she had in her own past was generally concentrated on the fabulous kings of a legendary golden age, rather than the great empires which had risen and fallen in historical times. (Basham, 1954, p. 44)