GOODWILL TEACHING GUIDE World Religions through Art LIST OF CONTENTS BUDDHISM THROUGH ART A sequence of murals, sculptures, paintings, illustrated manuscripts, wallhangings and photographs; with background stories and explanatory notes, quotations from ancient texts, a map and suggested classroom activities LIST OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Part 1 LIFE AND SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF THE BUDDHA-TO-BE Part 2 THE WORLD S KINGDOMS OFFERED AND REFUSED BEFORE ENLIGHTENMENT Part 3 THE BUDDHA LIKENS HIMSELF TO A DOCTOR Part 4 BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE BUDDHA S MESSAGE Part 5 THE ROLE OF ITS ART IN THE SPREAD OF BUDDHISM Part 6 WHERE RELICS OF THE BUDDHA WERE ENSHRINED Part 7 FIRST WE MUST UNDERSTAND OURSELVES, SAYS BUDDHISM Part 8 FUTURE OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY OF BUDDHISM Part 9 TEACHING & CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES Part 10 LOOKING AT THE IMAGES Queen Maya s Dream Gautama and his wife Yashodhara Gautama leaving the palace on his horse Kanthaka In a previous life the Buddha prepares to renounce his throne The Lotus Pool at Bodh Gaya Mara s army attacking Gautama Buddha touches the earth with his hand An earth-touching Buddha seated on a double lotus throne Wheel of Law Reclining Buddha Meditating Buddha Death of the Buddha (Parinirvana) Head of a Buddha The Diamond Sutra Maitreya Avalokiteshvara The bodhisattva Tara The bodhisattva Manjushri The oldest existing stupa at Sanchi The Shwedagon Pagoda Wheel of Life Scene from an album of illustrations Yamantaka The gesture of explanation (vitarka mudra) Reliquary stupa of the 16th Karmapa A standing Buddha A novice accepting the Buddhist robe Monks on their early morning alms round Tibetan pilgrims at the Potala Palace Typical Buddhist garden, Japan MAP Maitreya in the Potala Palace For easy navigation blue signals a link to a relevant page. Click to follow the link. Top right of every page is a link returning to this LIST OF CONTENTS page. Please note that the links are not active in this preview
INTRODUCTION OF the world s great religions, Buddhism is the least known in Europe. Yet it has an estimated 250 million adherents in Asia, in countries as far apart as Sri Lanka and Japan. One reason why Buddhism rarely makes news is the nature of its teachings: the least militant of faiths, it lays emphasis upon gentleness, compassion and selfdenial. Yet this is also the reason for the growing number of Buddhists in the western world they find that its serenity provides a balance to highpressure living. The Buddha is an historical figure, who lived several centuries before Christ. As with Christ, there are no paintings or sculptures made of him in his lifetime, but this has been no baier to artistic inspiration. In the temples of the East he is portrayed in many poses, each of profound significance to believers. The Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Law and the Order The images accompanying this text have been assembled from a wide variety of sources and are designed to illuminate the nature of Buddhism and convey some idea of the countries in which it is most deeply rooted. On page 29 will be found a guide to sources in Britain from which more information on the religion may be obtained. A highly recommended resource This is a refreshingly adaptable series for schools...the selection provides a comprehensive and flexible series of pictures which, used in their entirety, provide a balanced introduction to each faith...the notes are clearly produced and provide a good overview of the faith. Teachers from all key stages will find them a valuable resource although they will be of particular relevance at key stages 3 and 4. They could work very well in group activities. RE Today (reviewing the printed version)
BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE BUDDHA S MESSAGE to be something in the nature of things that frustrates the desire to have everything just right. This idea of dissatisfaction is absolutely central to Buddhism. Noble Truths in his First Discourse The supreme symbol of the Buddha s teaching is called the Wheel of the Law. Its meaning revolves around the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths: 1. Dissatisfaction Whatever is impermanent is dukkha, says the Buddhist teaching. The Buddha never denied that there is happiness in life in work, family, friendships and so on. The point is that all experience, however happy it may make people at the time, is unsatisfying because it does not last. Life is inherently unstable. Everything is constantly changing. Nothing, absolutely nothing, in the phenomenal universe, is permanent. This lack of permanence creates an anxiety that stops people from enjoying lasting happiness. The Pali word dukkha is a concept that has no easy equivalent in English. Usually translated as suffering, it lies behind a popular misconception that the Buddhist outlook is essentially pessimistic. But the Buddha himself was by no means miserable; one epithet often applied to him was alwayssmiling. Representations in painting and sculpture invariably depict him with a serene and radiant countenance, devoid of any trace of gloom. Yet dissatisfaction always exists because life is never quite as we would like it to be. Despite our efforts, there seems Wheel of the Law The desire for something permanent is in itself natural. The problem is that people direct this to the outside world, where it can never be found. They seek security by clinging to jobs, social status, bank accounts, political parties and relationships. Yet such external factors can never provide lasting fulfilment, being themselves impermanent. Hatred does not cease by hatred at any time; hatred ceases by love. (DHAMMAPADA, verse 5)
Looking at the images
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS Studying religions through their works of art can support teaching and learning in Religious Education in both learning from and learning about religion. Learning about religion This resource contains concise information about the teachings, beliefs, practices and forms of worship within Buddhism. An extensive collection of images which can be used as a stimulus for investigation and dialogue, helping to develop skills of analysis, interpretation, and explanation. Content that helps to build a thorough vocabulary of specialist terms. Learning from religion The combination of images and text can encourage students to be observant, creative, curious, informed and reflective. It can enable them to make connections between religious belief and real people and events. It can encourage questions about identity and belonging, meaning, purpose, truth, values and commitments. It can help to stimulate conversation around individual responses to artistic expressions within a religion. Also supports Art teaching By helping to build awareness of the cultural, historical and social context in which art is used; developing understanding of how art expresses meaning, and how it is often directed for a specific audience and purpose. By providing many opportunities to encounter, explore, compare and contrast works of art from different periods, places and perspectives. By allowing students to investigate different styles of artistic expression, develop personal responses to art styles and use these to draw on for their own art. Other aims Themes and concepts have been suggested that relate to specific images. Possible activities are suggested which can be adapted to meet specific learning objectives at different key stages. These can be used as starting points to stimulate questions and discussion about aspects of religious study or to develop extension activities. Working with the pictures Click* looking at the images to see the 30 selected works. Click on the required image to go to the captioned picture, which can then be printed out and/or displayed on a whiteboard. *Please note that the links are not active in this preview