Introduction to the Buddhist Asia Gallery The Buddhist Asia Gallery has more than 130 objects from Japan, Thailand, China, Burma, Nepal and Tibet on display. Sakyamuni, known as the historical Buddha, lived in the sixth century BCE. His teachings form the foundation of Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions. Buddhism spread via land and sea trade routes from its source in India to Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan, Tibet and Southeast Asia. Because of this, Buddhism provides us with a thread linking the major cultural traditions in Asia. The history of Buddhism’s development and dissemination is a study in diversity. During its spread, Buddhism influenced the cultures in which it took root and in turn, was influenced by them. The exhibit introduces this history and diversity to the viewer. In the exhibition, the visitor takes a journey through space and time which begins in the sixth-century BCE India, the birthplace of Buddhism. This section establishes the foundation for understanding the major tenets and principles of the religion, as well as providing examples of some of the earliest representations of the Buddha. A highlight of this section is the installation of stupa fragments. A stupa is a monument, usually in the form of a mound, which contains relics of the historical Buddha or other holy men. The stupa fragments in this exhibit are from second-century CE Amaravati. There is also a drawing reconstructing the stupa’s original shape, which was derived from pre-Buddhist burial mounds. 1 THE BUDDHIST ASIA GALLERY AT THE PENN MUSEUM Standing Buddha, Pakistan Vajrasattva, Nepal
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Introduction to the Buddhist Asia Gallery The Buddhist Asia Gallery has more than 130 objects from
Japan, Thailand, China, Burma, Nepal and Tibet on display.
Sakyamuni, known as the historical Buddha, lived in the
sixth century BCE. His teachings form the foundation of
Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions. Buddhism
spread via land and sea trade routes from its source in
India to Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan, Tibet and
Southeast Asia. Because of this, Buddhism provides us with
a thread linking the major cultural traditions in Asia.
The history of Buddhism’s development and
dissemination is a study in diversity. During its spread,
Buddhism influenced the cultures in which it took
root and in turn, was influenced by them. The exhibit
introduces this history and diversity to the viewer.
In the exhibition, the visitor takes a journey through
space and time which begins in the sixth-century BCE
India, the birthplace of Buddhism. This section establishes
the foundation for understanding the major tenets and
principles of the religion, as well as providing examples
of some of the earliest representations of the Buddha.
A highlight of this section is the installation of stupa
fragments. A stupa is a monument, usually in the form of
a mound, which contains relics of the historical Buddha
or other holy men. The stupa fragments in this exhibit
are from second-century CE Amaravati. There is also
a drawing reconstructing the stupa’s original shape,
which was derived from pre-Buddhist burial mounds.
1
THE BUDDHIST ASIA GALLERY AT THE PENN MUSEUM
Standing Buddha, Pakistan
Vajrasattva, Nepal
Next, the viewer visits the vast, dusty tracks of
Central Asia, following the ancient trade routes
along which Buddhist pilgrims traveled back and
forth between India and China during the second to
eighth centuries CE. Because of the traffic along these
trade routes, the kingdoms that dotted this stretch
of land were, or became, Buddhist during this time.
In the next section, visitors will learn about
Buddhism’s appearance in China, which also
serves as an important introduction to the
Museum’s well-known and beautiful works of
Buddhist art on display in the Chinese Rotunda.
The objects from Japan richly illustrate the
development and diversification of Buddhism in
Japan after the sixth century CE. The highlight
of this section is the spectacular full-scale altar
created by the Exhibits Department. The structure
of this splendid altar reflects careful research and
accurately depicts a typical Japanese Buddhist altar.
The central golden Buddha sits on his gilded lotus
flanked on his right by Monju, bodhisattva of
wisdom, seated on his lion, and on the left by Fugen,
bodhisattva of goodness, riding his elephant. Both
Monju and Fugen are part of the Sommerville
Collection, Buddhist material collected by Maxwell
Sommerville around the end of the nineteenth
century and given to the Penn Museum.
The Buddha came to the Museum through the
generosity of the locally owned department store,
Strawbridge and Clothier, when they learned that
the Museum was searching for a large-scale Buddha
2
Maitreya Buddha, China
THE BUDDHIST ASIA GALLERY AT THE PENN MUSEUM
Fudo, Japan
image to complete the altar triad. The sculpture is a modern
image produced by Thai artisans in Japanese style.
Next, is the Tibet section. Tibet became Buddhist
only in the eighth century CE, much later than
China or Japan. In addition to religious paintings
and sculpture, the Tibetan collection includes a good
ethnographic selection of objects used by lamas (Tibetan
Buddhist monks), sorcerers, and devout laymen.
The Buddhist Asia Gallery will be deinstalled in August, 2012.
Across2. people beyond caste3. Buddhist practice8. elimination of suffering10. results of actions11. enlightened one12. world's oldest religion13. founded by SiddharthaDown1. basic Buddhist understanding4. Hindu life-force5. rigid social group6. meat free diet7. rebirth9. road to enlightnement
Across2. people beyond caste3. Buddhist practice8. elimination of suffering10. results of actions11. enlightened one12. world's oldest religion13. founded by SiddharthaDown1. basic Buddhist understanding4. Hindu life-force5. rigid social group6. meat free diet7. rebirth9. road to enlightnement