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Buddhism, The Teachings of the Awakened One, is a religion recognized as one of the big five religions in the world, as of today. Starting in India, roughly estimated around the fifth century B.C, Buddhism began to spread from India throughout the rest of Central, East and Southeast Asia. The teachings of the different branches of Buddhism, Mahayana and Theravada,remained relatively the same throughout the movement, Theravada teaching that each person needs to find his or her own path to salvation and enlightenment, while Mahayana taught that there were many different spiritual paths to enlightenment, and that Buddha was a Divine Deity. While teachings suffered little to no change over the years and through the travels, variances could be seen, sometimes quite easily, in the iconography and artistic ideals between countries. These variances could be seen in things such as the designs of the bodies and figures themselves, to what they were made out of, whether it be wood, stone or metal, and how they were made, by metal casting, wood carving, creating each piece separately and piecing them together at the end, or carving the images straight into stone; each piece has a teaching behind it, a story to tell, and a country of origin that places it's own personal emphasis' on the piece. Illustratio One work from India, entitled Seated Buddha on Lion Throne Beneath Bo Tree is an example of the well known Buddhist art. Made of stone, this Buddha shows remarkably little wear from time, and shows amazing craftsmanship. A Buddha, sitting cross legged on a throne supported by lions and backed by a richly carved, decorative halo with figurines floating in it, depicts the better, more widely known, image of Buddha. There is little detail as far as the figure's body n 1: "Seated Buddha on Lion Throne Beneath Bo Tree" Indian Art: A Concise History Fig. is concerned, and the clothing is minimal, seeming to 69 fade into nothing across the body to give a hint of the minimalistic details underneath, only to fade

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back into view around the waist. The legs are crossed in a yoga position, with one hand is raised in the Abhaya Mudra, or the 'Fear-not' Mudra. Beyond that, this Buddha has a rounder face, with a friendly looking smile, as if beckoning the viewer to place their trust in him, to lead them onto the path towards enlightenment. Unlike certain other Buddha figures, with harsher looking faces and grand, imposing halos full of distracting detail, this image gives little else to focus on, sucessfully bringing the viewer back to the Buddha in the center, and the idea behind the image, of following the path to enlightenment and allowing Buddha to assist you. Beyond that, this piece brings new insight into translating the Buddhist teachings into an art form, with the way the Bodhisattvas behind him seem to lean on him, as if hanging onto his every bit of advice and wisdom, wanting and waiting for more.

In Japan, we look at a piece from the Hakuho Period, called The Yakushi Triad. The center figure is actually very similar to the Buddha in Seated Buddha on Lion Throne Beneath Bo Tree. In the center sets the Illustration 2: "The Yakushi Triad" Hakuho Period

Buddha, still the main focus, even with more extravagantly dressed Boddhisattvas on either side of him. This Buddha, however, is using the Vitarka Mudra, symbolizing the discussion and transmission of the Buddhist teachings. His eyes seem to be closed or half lidded, possibly suggesting concentration or meditation. There is more detail in the robes and hair in this piece, especially with the Boddhisattvas on either side. Extravagant lines drape over the figures, depicting elaborate robes and jewelry that seem to literally drip off the people. The Yakushi Triad seems to be representing the Theravada Buddhist teachings, the statue

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sitting on a block by himself, with Boddhisattvas on either side to learn and one day become Buddhas themselves. The Boddhisattvas themselves seem to stand like guardian figures, or students, on either side of the Buddha statue, the left figure's hand raised in the same Vitarka Mudra as the Buddha, while the one on the right is giving the Abhaya Mudra. Unlike the Indian works, with a halo filled with busy figures and animals and plant life, the Japanese halo in this picture is filled with seven miniature figures of the Buddha, and carved swirl patterns are scattered through the open spaces in between. This triad seems to be made out of metal instead of stone, which is more common in Japan due to lack of an abundance of resources like wood.

In China is a work called the Maitreya Buddha, very visibly different from the other two pieces. This Buddah has one hand raised, like the first, in the Abhaya Mudra, with the other in the pose of the Varada Mudra, symbolizing offering, charity, welcoming, giving, compassion and sincerity. Unlike the figures from India and Japan, this work is more elaborate, and almost delicate in nature. Instead of a solid halo backing the figure, there is a bronze screen of sorts, with smaller flames posed on the edges. It is a much busier piece, with what seems like many offerings and nearly as many followers, all sitting or standing at his feet. His Drawing 1: "Maitreya Buddha" N. Wei Dynasty 524

robes are more detailed, with more drapes and folds depicted, and the entire piece shows the overall love for more detail. Just like the Buddha in Japan, this one is made of metal, gilt bronze to be specific. It seems to represent the more modern Mahayana Buddhism teachings, with Buddha standing to lead

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Maitreya Buddha seems to bring out a new way of translating Buddhism into art, by creating a glowing figure, suggesting the holy light that shines from behind Buddha, as he guides his followers onto the path of enlightenment. Instead of sitting or standing on a wide and stable looking base, he seems to be putting himself on a smaller, less sturdy platform, to make more room for those who wish to gather around him and find their own paths to salvation and enlightenment.

Buddhism is a well known religion, with followers in many countries today. In India, China and Japan, there are an abundance of art works dedicated to Buddhism and Buddha's teachings, though some have been lost over time. Each country brings it's own culture, ideals and practices into the artwork created, and it shows. Whether it be the materials used, the delicacy of the figures, or backgrounds, each piece is unique, and stands out on its own, representing the culture that influenced it's creation.

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Buddhism Wikipedia. Oct. 2006. Wikipedia.org. 15 October 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism> Craven, Roy C. Indian Art: A Concise History. London: Thames & Hudson. 2003 "Mudra." Wikipedia. Oct. 2006. Wikipedia.org. 15 October 2006 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra>. Stanley-Baker, Joan. Japanese Art. London: Thames & Hudson. 2003. Tregear, Mary. Chinese Art. London: Thames & Hudson. 2003.