File:Buddha and the gospel of Buddhism (1916) (14595353637).jpg

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

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
D. Another painting by a somewhat later artist,but thought to be after Wu Tao-tzu, is the BodhisattvaKwanyin, the Indian Avalokitesvara, reproduced onPlate HH. At an early date the male Avalokitesvara wasinterpreted in China as a feminine divinity and saviouress,and there is a long and charming Chinese legend whichrecounts her life as an earthly princess. Since Kwanyinis a gracious saviouress who hears all cries and answersall prayers, it will readily be understood that she becameone of the most popular of all Chinese and Japanese Budd-hist divinities, and the subject of innumerable paintings.It will be noticed in our example (from the collection ofMr C. L. Freer, and reproduced by his kindness) that thegoddess holds a basket with a fish in her outstretchedhand, whereas in a majority of representations she carriesa willow spray or a phial of the water of life.1 A more 1 The cult of Kwanyin and the significance of the fish are discussed byR. F. Johnston, Buddhist China> ch. xi. 342
Text Appearing After Image:
Plate G G KWANYIN Gilt bronze, mediaeval JapaneseCollection of Mr H. Getty 342 The Far East famous work by Wu Tao-tzu was the * Death of Buddha,painted in a.d. 742, of which We know at least the com-position, for Wu Tao-tzus design was repeated by morethan one early master of Japan, and the original is describedin Chinese books. In the British Museum is a largepainting of this subject, by the hand of a great artistentirely modelled on the art of Tang. Magnificent indeedis the conception. The whole of creation is wailing andlamenting around the body of the Buddha, who lies peace-ful in the midst, having entered into Nirvana, under a greattree, the leaves of which are withered where they do notcover him. Saints and disciples, kings, queens, priests andwarriors, weep and beat their breasts; angels are grievingin the air; even the beasts of the field and the forest, thetiger, the panther, the horse, the elephant, show sorrow inall their limbs, rolling with moans upon the ground ; andthe b

Note About Images