Month: January 2024

The exhibition “Benevolent Beings: Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from South and Southeast Asia” will bid farewell to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena next month.  This captivating showcase delves into the realm of protective deities, exploring how their representations have provided blessings, guidance, and security to devoted followers. The exhibition features a diverse array of Buddhas from…

Rama Katha, Rama’s journey as a prince, his battle for recovering his wife Sita from the captivity of Lankan King Ravana, are among the world’s greatest poems. The story starts from India and goes to south-eastern countries. It is an important thread in studying culture, religion, history, and literature. The story became so ingrained in…

Enclosed in a shrine, the skeletal frame of a man is posed in meditation, legs crossed beneath bright abbot’s robes while his bony hands rest on top. Thin, leathery skin stretches across what’s visible of his body. At first glance, what springs to mind is a single word: mummy. But to devotees of ascetic Buddhist…

An eighteenth-century pattern book consisting of 36 ink drawings showing precise iconometric guidelines for depicting the Buddha and Bodhisattva figures. Written in Newari script with Tibetan numerals, the book was apparently produced in Nepal for use in Tibet. The concept of the ‘ideal image’ of the Buddha emerged during the Golden Age of Gupta rule,…

One of Buddhism’s most reviled villains was crucified in the Buddhist underworld. When French Christians arrived in Siam in the 17th century, venerating images of Christ on the cross, dialogue between the two religions reached an impasse. In the stories of the Buddha’s life there are two villains. The first is Mara, the Buddhist deity…

Tourists poured into the Longmen Grottoes scenic area in Luoyang, central China’s Henan Province, many of whom crowded in front of the Lushena Buddha as the New Year ushered in. The scenic area, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000, shone soft lighting around the ancient landmark of the Lushena as…

01/9​Laughing Buddha to Tortoise: Importance of popular Fein Shui signs​ Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese art, focuses on harmonizing individuals with their surrounding environment to promote positive energy and well-being. Among its various elements, certain symbols hold significant importance, believed to attract prosperity, good fortune, and positive vibes into one’s life. From the enduring symbolism…

Located in Kandy, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, or Sri Dalada Maligawa, is a sacred pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is a small but diverse country with plenty of charm. With its pristine beaches, rich biodiversity, large cinnamon and tea exportation, and stunning natural wonders, Sri Lanka has…

2008.244 pages,  illustrated.  $14.00 U.S. Kindle;  $14.95 paperback. Reviewed by Merritt Clifton Sacred Animals of India,  continuously in print now for 15 years,   “was to have been ready in time for the Asia for Animals conference held in January 2007 at Chennai,”  prefaces author Nanditha Krishna.   “However, when I began researching the subject,  I discovered…