Reflections of the Buddha - The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts

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Lower Gallery 23. Buddhist Triad: Buddha Amitābha (Amita Yeorae) Seated on a Lotus Throne with His Hands Held in the Bhūmisparśa mudrā (chokji in) and Flanked by Two Standing Bodhisattvas, Presumably Avalokiteśvara (Gwaneum) and Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Daeseji), mid-15th century Korea, Joseon dynasty, 1392 – 1910; gilt silver; 4¼ x 4 x 2� in.; Harvard Art Museums / Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Ralph C. Marcove, M.D., 1997.254 The central figure of this rare silver-cast triad was long thought to depict Śākyamuni extending a hand downward, “calling the earth to witness at the moment of enlightenment.” It is now believed to be Amitābha with a striking array of curls and high usnīsa. Two standing bodhisattvas, who likely signify Amitābha’s wisdom and compassion, respectively, flank him. The work was probably produced in the area around Mt. Geumgang in North Korea and commissioned by a confraternity during a time when Buddhism, because it was officially denounced by the state, developed at a popular level independent of elite clerics and canonical texts. 45 24. “The Universal Gateway of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara,” Chapter Twenty-Five of the Lotus Sūtra (Miaofa lianhua jing Guanshiyin pusa pumenpin), with an appended Heart Sūtra (Xin jing), 1432 China, Ming dynasty, 1368 – 1644; accordion-fold book; gold ink on indigo-dyed paper; palace copy; overall: approximately 13⅜ x 542⅜ in.; Harvard Art Museums / Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Alan Priest, 1926.46 This manuscript contains the texts of two of the most popular sūtras (sacred texts) in Mahāyāna Buddhism: the twenty-fifth chapter of the Lotus Sūtra and the Heart Sūtra. Both present Avalokiteśvara, known in China as the Guanyin. The first text vividly describes the myriad calamities from which Guanyin will save any worshipper who cries out his name, and the diverse forms that he can take in order to make the Buddha’s teachings understood to any aspiring believer. By contrast, the Heart Sūtra presents a less worldly and more philosophically engaged Guanyin. The text uses his voice to present an abbreviated explanation of the Buddha’s teachings, emphasizing in particular the non-dual nature of emptiness and form, and the understanding that all things arise dependently. The indigo dye used to color the paper served both a practical and a symbolic purpose—deterring insects from eating away at the paper and evoking lapis lazuli, which is mentioned repeatedly in the Lotus Sūtra, including in this passage: “Buddha lands, adorned with numerous jewels, shone with hues of lapis lazuli and crystal ... due to the illumination of the Buddha’s light.” Note: Periodically throughout the exhibition, the Pulitzer will put different sections of the Lotus Sūtra on view.
Lower Hallway Other Works on View No-Self 25. La Línea del Destino (Line of Destiny), 2006 Oscar Muñoz Colombian, born 1951; video / DVD; 2 minutes, looped; courtesy of the artist and Sicardi Gallery Muñoz, an artist from wartorn Colombia, creates works that project the dissolution of an image as a manifestation of his countrymen’s disappearances or deaths. Even though Muñoz never intended this video to pertain to Buddhism, it presents the idea of the “no-self” succinctly. Buddhists believe that the world and human nature are constituted in ways that produce suffering and that lasting happiness is found only through the rejection of any permanent self, because all phenomena lack any underlying and permanent substance. 1. Venus, 1918–1928, Aristide Maillol French, 1861 – 1944 Bronze 69¼ x 14½ x 10½ in. Private collection © 2011 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris 2. Rock Settee, 1988–1990, Scott Burton American, 1939 – 1989 Granite 35½ x 106 x 62½ in. The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts © 2011 Estate of Scott Burton / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 3. Torso, Study for Venus, 1925, cast in 1960, Aristide Maillol French, 1861 – 1944 Bronze 44¾ x 15¼ x 11 in. Private collection © 2011 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris 4. Joe, 1999, Richard Serra American, born 1939 Weathering steel Outer spiral approximately 163 x 576 x 480 in. The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts
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Reflections of the B uddha The Puli
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Standing Prince Shōtoku at Age Two
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Published for Reflections of the Bu
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Foreword & Acknowledgements Reflect
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Left Hand of a Colossal Buddha Amit
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Womb World Mandala (Taizōkai manda
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Living Things: Buddhist Art in a Bu
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tradition that referenced the sacre
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Another work in the exhibition, Sta
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View of the Main Gallery These heav
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La Línea del Destino (Line of Dest
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the production of further economic
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Sea of Buddha, 1995, Hiroshi Sugimo
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Head of Buddha Śākyamuni, 4th cen
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center (and facing page) Bodhisattv
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Four Mandalas (dkyil-‘khor), 18th
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32 Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara in t
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34 Acala Candamaharosana (Budong Mi
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36 Detail of “The Universal Gatew
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Gallery Guide & Checklist Entrance
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Cube Gallery Vajrayāna Buddhism Th
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Lower Gallery The Buddha’s Light
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Lower Hallway Other Works on View N
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Reflections of the Buddha
Page 62 and 63: Reflections of the Buddha September
Page 65 and 66: VIII Head of a Celestial Attendant,
Page 67 and 68: Bob introduced them to the rewards
Page 69 and 70: Standing Buddha Amitābha (Amida Ny
Page 71 and 72: 1 Afghanistan P a k i s t a n 2 I n
Page 73 and 74: such quintessential virtues as comp
Page 75 and 76: figure 1 Detail of Seated Bodhisatt
Page 77 and 78: in nature is also in one’s mind .
Page 79 and 80: circles and squares — in his arch
Page 81 and 82: in exhalation). The extended interv
Page 83: 18 A Scene from the Life of the Bud
Page 87 and 88: The Monk Ananda (Anantuo), 9th cent
Page 90 and 91: foreground The Monk Ananda (Anantuo
Page 93 and 94: 28 Four-circle Hevajra Mandala (Kye
Page 95: 30 Details of Standing Bodhisattva
Page 98 and 99: Seated Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara
Page 100 and 101: Enlarged photograph of Buddhist Tri
Page 103: 38 Guardian King of the North (Vai
Page 106 and 107: Main Gallery Buddha Śākyamuni Aft
Page 108 and 109: Cube Gallery Lower Main Gallery 15.
Page 112: A Note on Diacritics and Punctuatio
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Reflections of the Buddha - The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts

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