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The Seated Buddha (Research Part 1)
The Seated Buddha (Research Part 1)
5/15/15
Ancient World
Avalokitesvara and Maitreya from the Met Museum presents the eternal
truth of overcoming obstacles through compassion.
looks down (in compassion)4. The compassion piece of the eternal truth
comes into play with the Bodhisattvas and the Buddhas story because the
definition of a Bodhisattva is able to reach enlightenment, but delays their
journey to teach others how to overcome the obstacle of desire and
suffering, out of compassion.5 Therefore, the Bodhisattvas that flank the
Buddha in the sculpture represent the compassion aspect of the eternal
truth overcoming obstacles through compassion.
The time period that the sculpture was present in allowed the sculpture to
be culturally accepted and the history of the Turkish Muslim Invasion reveals
physical evidence of the overcoming obstacles aspect of the eternal truth. The
Seated Buddha Reaching Enlightenment Flanked by Avalokitesvara and
Maitreya was made during the Pala Period, when the Pala Dynasty was in
power in Bihar. The Pala dynasty was in power from the 8th to the 12th century
in Bihar and Bengal, India. Pala means protector in Prakrit, which can
connect to Avalokitesvara because he is the bodhisattva who looks down on
the world in compassion, and protects it.6 The Palas, adherents to Mahayana
Buddhism, were generous patrons of Buddhist temples and the famous
universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. It was through their missionaries
4 "Avalokitesvara Mantra | Wildmind Buddhist Meditation."
Avalokitesvara Mantra | Wildmind Buddhist Meditation. Accessed April
30, 2015. http://www.wildmind.org/mantras/figures/avalokitesvara.
5 Fiero, Gloria K. "The Spread of Buddhism." In Medieval Europe and
the World Beyond: Book 2, 2-4. 5th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
6 "The Pala Dynasty." History Pala Empire, Pala Dynasty, Pala Dynasty
in India 8th 12th Century. Accessed April 30, 2015.
http://www.lotussculpture.com/pala.htm.
that Buddhism was finally established in Tibet.7 This quotation exemplifies the
fact that the Pala dynasty supported Buddhism, and without their support, this
sculpture would not have been created. In addition, according to Fiero, the
invasion of the Turkish Muslims resulted in the capture of Delhi in the late 10th
century, which was around the time that the Seated Buddha Reaching
Enlightenment was in the Nalanda Monastery. The invasion of the Turkish
Muslims resulted in not only chaos, but also the destruction of the Nalanda
monastery. Countless amounts of Buddhist statues were destroyed due to the
Muslim law, but the Seated Buddha Reaching Enlightenment survived the
wreckage and prevailed to be admired by many people today.8 The idea of the
sculpture surviving the chaos also exemplifies the overcoming obstacles
aspect of the eternal truth.
7 Ibid
8 Fiero, Gloria K. "The Message of the Buddha." In Medieval Europe and
the World Beyond: Book 2, 2-4. 5th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
9 The Buddha-karita of Asvaghosha Introduction. The Buddha-karita
of Asvaghosha Introduction. Accessed May 7, 2015.
their answers were a mermaid tale, shark mouth so I could eat a lot of
stuff, extra pointy ears, legs like a cheetah, and wings.14 The sole
purpose of this advertisement was to target the common issue of
insecurities among many people in todays society. The Jubilee Project was
trying to overcome the obstacle of insecurities that are very prevalent in the
world today by making the audience that watched the ad feel compassion
towards all of the adults that really were unhappy about the way they were.
These two media examples from the 21st century matter because they
present obstacles that are prevalent in the world today, such as greed and
insecurity, and address the idea of overcoming those obstacles through
compassion, which directly connects to the eternal truth of overcoming
obstacles through compassion that emerges in The Seated Buddha Flanked
by Avalokitesvara and Maitreya sculpture. The legacy of Buddhist beliefs
and the eternal truth of overcoming obstacles through compassion is truly
alive and well today.
In conclusion, the eternal truth of overcoming obstacles through
compassion in not only displayed in the Seated Buddha Reaching
Enlightenment Flanked by Avalokitesvara and Maitreya, but also in the
Buddhas life, the Bodhisattvas, ancient Buddhist texts, and media in the 21st
century. Buddhas life, the Bodhisattvas, and ancient Buddhist texts can all be
portrayed differently according to perspective, but the theme of overcoming
obstacles is universal and is apparent in the Buddhas life, his followers, and