Buddhism Flashcards
The importance of the Indus Valley civilization: what evidence of urbanization do we see in this civilization ?
- kiln for fired bricks(construction)
- citadel (occupation)
- large bath (ritual/practice)
- steatite (soapstone)
- engraved seals (trade/craftsman work)
- Indus script
the aryan legacy: (inherited later by Buddhism)
-Sanskrit language, later used for both Buddhist and Hindu scripture
(Aryan leg. Cont.)
What are Vedas
Hindu scriptures written in early Sanskrit containing hymns, philosophy, and ritual practices for Priests, preserved in oral tradition, believed to have been directly revealed to seers among early Aryans, Rig Veda, Sam Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda
The two epics and what they teach
- RAMAYANA: lessons in Dharma, Life in India around 1000 B.C.E., Rama lived life by the rules of dharma (duties, rights, laws,conduct, virtues, and “right way of living”) “cosmic law and order”
- MAHABHARATA: Krishna teaches that one must perform to duty, desire of the self leads to consequences and one must be careful of these actions and thoughts, virtue of kindness, thinking before speaking, revenge consumes all, have knowledge can be dangerous, single-minded focus helps achieving goals, righteousness is useless unless paid with foresight, don’t be blinded by love, righteousness comes before love
The four social classes/castes/vamas
- Brahmin (priests)
- Kshatriyas (warriors)
- Vaishya (merchants)
- shudra (manual laborers)
The great stupa at sanchi:
What are the main elements of its plan/structure?
- Vedika : small railing surrounding the dumb on top of the stupa also the larger funds to which the Devotee entered
- Torana: Gateways into the stupa
- Harmika: Small platform with railing at the very top of the stupa
- Pradakshina : The path surrounding the stupa for the Devotee to travel through the stupa
How does one worship at a stupa
Walking around the monument in the clockwise direction
Caitya Hall
Prayer hall focusing on the stupa
vihara
Residence hall (monastery)
2 earliest schools of art:
Mathura what’re are the characteristics?
Medium: spotted red sandstone
Style:indigenous (influenced by Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism)
Iconography: Delighted Buddha, face and head shaven, muscular and energetic, seated/ standing, surrounded by bodhisattas
2 earliest schools of art:
Gandhara : what’re are the characteristics?
Medium: grey /bluish sandstone/ stucco
Style: Greek/Hellenistic influence (indo-Greek)
Iconography:spiritual Buddha represents calmness, bearded/mustache, wears less ornament, wavy hair, large forehead and ears, in yogi position, protrusion on head to represent knowledge
“three jewels of Buddhism”
The Buddha (the yellow jewel) -Refers to the historical Buddha and the ideal up to the hood itself.
The Dharma (blue jewel) -The teachings of Buddha or the truth you understood most importantly means the unmediated shoes as experienced by the enlightenment mind
The Sangha (red jewel) Refers to the people with whom we share a spiritual lives
how is Buddhist cosmology reflected in the stupa plan
- universe a cosmic mountain,that connects earth (bottom) &. Heaven (at top)
- they referred to the stupas as mountains
- is idealism is the basis of the architecture(dome,stepped pyramid, tower)
- Dome and towers Stupas include egg shape(shape of universe)
stupas as a cosmic mountain: parts in relation to cosmology
Harmika: a gated area that marks sacred space ( home of gods)
Torana: The gateways which Are normally placed at the four cardinal directions
vedika: railing around stupa that marks sacred space
Pradakshina: The ambulatory pathway worshipers walk in a clockwise direction meditating on the teachings of the Buddha and the sending toward enlightenment
Visual narrative techniques in Buddhist art
- stories used to adorn the stupa
- use of visual hierarchy to distinguish status
- objects in the background and for ground are the same size
