Buddha and the gospel of Buddhism (1916) (14595213288)

Identifier: buddhagospelofbu01coom (find matches)
Title: Buddha and the gospel of Buddhism
Year: 1916 (1910s)
Authors: Coomaraswamy, Ananda Kentish, 1877-1947
Subjects: Buddha and Buddhism
Publisher: New York, G. P. Putnam's sons
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



Text Appearing Before Image:
unting to absolute identity of design between theGraeco-Christian Christ and the Graeco-Buddhist Buddha:but in a majority of typically Indian figure the drapery isalmost transparent, and indicated by a mere line. InGupta images especially the whole figure is plainlyrevealed (Plates B, E). The upper robes are worn in twodifferent ways, in the one case covering both shoulders,in the other leaving the right shoulder bare. Anotherconspicuous feature of Buddha images is the nimbus orglory, which assumes various forms, the early types beingplain, those of the Gupta period elaborately decorated;this again appears to be a motif that is technicallywestern, at the same time that it reflects the traditionsregarding the Buddha rays and the transfiguration, andfrom a visionary standpoint may be called realistic. Classic Buddhist Art The various types of Buddhist art to which we have so far referred, from this time onward draw closer and closer together, to constitute one national art and style 332
Text Appearing After Image:
Plate B B 332 THE BUDDHA Cambodia, I3th-i4th centuryCollection of Mr Victor Golonbew Classic Buddhist Art which extend throughout Indian in the Gupta period, andform the main foundation of the colonial and missionary-phases of Buddhist art in Siam and Cambodia, Burma,Java, China, and Japan. One of the most marked charactersof Gupta art is the fullness and suavity of all its forms, wellexemplified in the two figures illustrated on Plates B, E ;the latter of these is a standing figure from Mathura, theother a seated image from the site of the old monasteryof the Deer Park at Benares, where the first sermonwas preached. It will be seen that by this time theforeign elements introduced by way of Gandhara arecompletely absorbed and Indianized, and in the words ofProfessor Oscar Mlinsterberg, developed under nationaland Buddhist inspiration into a new and genuine art.From Indian Gupta art there is an imperceptible transi-tion to Indian classic, which is more mouvementie anddistinguished by m