Buddhism - in the land of Buddha

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 1 May 2013 Article/Essay
Excavated Remains at Nalanda

Nalanda is one of the most ancient international centers of education and learning equivalent to modern universities, with a very rich library. An inscribed seal written "Sri-Nalandamahavihariy-Arya-Bhikshu-Sanghasya" identifies the site as Nalanda Mahavihara.

Nalan... Read More
 1 May 2013 Sculpture
Female Head, terracotta, 6th-7th century, Gandharan style, Jammu, India

The site of Pambarvan, near Akhnur, appears to have been a Buddhist stupa site. Sixth century Gupta coins have been found, together with the terracotta remains of sculptural decorations, most notably a series of terracotta... Read More
 30 Apr 2013 Sculpture
Representation of Mañjuśrī

Figure (Manjusri). Holding lotus and flanked by scrolled borders.
Made of sandstone.

Findspot: Nalanda

ca. 8th Century

© Trustees of the British Museum Read More
 29 Apr 2013
Sealing

A flattened terracotta ball impressed with a sealing bearing three large stūpas and six smaller ones. Below the Pratītyasamutpāda Gāthā in three lines.

Excavated/Findspot: Nalanda, site 9.

ca.10 century

© Trustees of the British Museum Read More
 29 Apr 2013
Sealing

A terracotta sealing bearing an impression of a dharmacakra ('wheel of the law') flanked by two deer and above a three-line inscribed Buddhist Creed.

Inscription Script: Nāgarī (early)
Inscription Language: Sanskrit
Inscription Translation: "[seal] of the noble community of monks at the... Read More
 29 Apr 2013 Article/Essay
Decline and end of NALANDA

Evidence in literature suggests that in 1193, the Nalanda University was sacked by the fanatic BAKHTIYAR KHILJI, a Turk. Muslim conquest in India is seen by scholars as one of the reasons of the decline of Buddhism in India. The Persian historian MINHAJ-I-SIRAJ, in h... Read More
 29 Apr 2013
Replica of the seal of Nalanda University set in terracotta on display in the ASI Museum in Nalanda.

Source: Wikipedia Read More
 29 Apr 2013 Article/Essay
NALANDA - The ancient seat of learning

Towards the Southeast of Patna, the Capital City of Bihar State in India, is a village called the 'Bada Gaon', in the vicinity of which, are the world famous ruins of Nalanda University.

Founded in the 5th Century A.D., Nalanda is known as the ancient seat... Read More
 29 Apr 2013 Rare Photographs
With the rise of Buddhism in India, there arose many centres of learning which did not exist before. As a result Buddhist India came to have five major universities which achieved wide fame. These five were NALANDA, Vickramasila, Odantapuri,Jagadalala and Somapura. In the 10th century when Hieun ... Read More
 28 Apr 2013 Sculpture
Relief showing the Descent of the Buddha from Trayastrimsa Heaven, grey schist, 3rd century AD, Gandhara.

The Buddha chose to ascend to the heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods (Trayastrimsa, equivalent to Indra's Svarga Heaven) in order to preach to the gods and his mother who also resided to eart... Read More
 27 Apr 2013 Sculpture
Seated Buddha figure in pleated robes, torso with missing head and hands, pink mottled sandstone, Mathura.

Early 3rd century.

Seated Buddha, with highly developed physical displaying 'inner breath' (prana) beneath the articulated folds of the monastic robes. The yogic posture is combined wi... Read More
 8 Apr 2013 Rare Paintings
Buddha torso engraved with the Realms of Existence
550-618; rubbing; 20th century
Northern Qi or Sui dynasty
Ink on paper
H: 105.5 W: 19.4 cm
China

According to the sacred text of the Lotus Sutra, when the historical Buddha delivered a sermon a vision of the entire cosmos often appeared ... Read More
 8 Apr 2013 Article/Essay
Article:
Buddhism: Origin, Spread and Decline
By Pankaj Jain
Huffington Post

A keen observer of the world history may notice a pendulous motion. At one end of the pendulum's swing is the society immersed in crass materialism, Pravritti (literally, action) and at the other end is the society... Read More
 27 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
The Royal procession to the ploughing ceremony. King Suddhodana walks under a white parasol with courtiers behind him and followed by the oxen for ploughing. Queen Maha-Maya and Prince Siddhattha ride behing upon an elephant
Painting 1853 - 1885
From: Life of the Buddha
Volume 2 From the me... Read More
 17 Jan 2013 Sculpture
Buddha Shakyamuni, Sandstone, Bodhgaya, eastern India, 9th-10th century

This sculpture captures the inner calm and tranquillity of Buddhahood. Here the Buddha is seated in a meditation posture on a lotus pedestal, with hands in ‘dharmacakramudra’. He is expounding the Buddhist law ('dharma'), an... Read More
 11 Nov 2012 Rare Paintings
Painting of the Tejaprabha Buddha (Chisong Gwangbul) together with the North Pole star (Pukkuk song), surrounded by figures representing the navagraha (nine planets), twenty-eight constellations and the twelve western signs of the zodiac; mineral colours on coarse silk. Red rectangular panel on c... Read More