The Clothing of the Buddha

This Buddha has a unique status among Buddhas in China. It bears an inscription on the back that is equivalent to the year 338. This is the earliest date inscribed on any Buddha sculpture from China, anywhere in the world. In this video...

Video presents a conversation about Buddhism at the American Museum of Natural History between Dr. Laurel Kendall, Curator, Asian Ethnographic Collections and Dr. Monique Scott, Assistant Director of Cultural Education in front of four...

The main figure in this stone sculpture from the 900s shows many characteristic features of images of the Buddha. Here we see elements that tell us we're in the presence of the Buddha as he was on the threshold of achieving...

There is significant debate concerning the development of the Buddha image--where it first occurred, why, and when. Broadly speaking, the image of the Buddha emerged during the first few centuries C.E. in two major centers of Indian art...

This sculpture shows Amitabha, identified as the Buddha of the Western Paradise. Read a brief history of Amitabha and the techniques used to make this sculpture.

This is an image of the historical Buddha. We can tell it is the Buddha because of the many distinguishing marks (lakshana) visible in the sculpture. He has a cranial bump on his head (ushnisha), a tuft of hair between his eyes (urna),...

Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of a historical figure known as the Buddha Shakyamuni, who lived about 2,500 years ago. This sculpture shows Amitabha, identified as the Buddha of the Western Paradise. Amitabha is shown...

There is significant debate concerning the development of the Buddha image-where it first occurred, why, and when. This article traces the history of the Buddha image through two centers of artistic production: Gandhara and Mathura.

This is the traditional representation of the Shakyamuni Buddha or the historical Buddha. The statue shows the moment of his enlightenment at a place called Bodh Gaya in India. View a picture of the statue and read the background in this...

Interactive presentation explains the many ways that the Buddha is represented in art. Discusses the symbolic nature of his appearance as well as the Buddha's characteristic hand gestures, or mudras.