The Portrayal of Ancient Art with Aesthetic Value In “The Bodhisativa Vow: A Practical Guide to Helping Others”
The Norton Simon Museum holds many works of art from Ancient Gandhara that portray excellent examples of aesthetic value. The museum holds art from many Asian cultures that express functionalist and formalist properties. The Bodhisattva Maitreya sculpture, made in Gandhara, which is today Pakistan and Afghanistan, is an excellent representation of the international style present in the 2nd-3rd century. The sculpture is not only important in terms of art, however, as the bodhisattva is an important aspect of Mahayana Buddhism, and proves to be an important aspect of the cultural influence at the time.
In "The Bodhisattva Vow: A Practical Guide to Helping Others," a bodhisattva is traditionally defined as anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings (Kelsang 1). Maitreya is a bodhisattva was to appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment, and is known as "the Messiah," and teach the pure dharma. The Bodhisittva Maitreya expresses importance both in terms of art influence, and within culture, religion, and enlightenment.
Mahayana Buddhism encourages everyone to become bodhisattvas and to take the bodhisattva vows. With these vows, one makes the promise to work for the complete enlightenment of all sentient beings by practicing the six perfections (Kelsang 8). Much of Mahayana Buddhism is based on the path of a bodhisattva and the goal of achieving enlightenment. The path itself, and the cycle of death, rebirth, and suffering, are the basis of many of the concepts expressed within Mahayana Buddhism.
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The Norton Simon Museum's collection description states, "This sculpture reflects the International style that was present in this ancient kingdom... Buddhist images from this region were influenced by Greco-Roman examples" (Norton Simon Museum). The description then describes that the figure's two necklaces of the Bodhisattva Maitreya depict other Greek gods and goddesses, such as Poseidon. The representation of other gods or goddesses expresses the religious tolerance in Gandhara at the time of the making of the Bodhisattva Maitreya sculpture. The sculpture's shoes and attire also represent the male deities' representations and images modeled after kings.
Bodhisattvas have always been an important aspect of Buddhist culture; their significance in terms of enlightenment and nirvana derives from their role as deities aiding the salvation of others. Roy C. Craven's "Indian Art: A Concise History" describes the Bodhisattva Maitreya as the "Buddha of the Future," explaining the elixir of immortality is the symbol of the Bodhisattva Maitreya and describes a Gandharan figure as holding a globular vial containing the same elixir (Craven 92).
The text adds that the Bodhisattva figures affirmed the strength of the merchant community, who were attracted more by the goods and display than occupations of monastic life. A Bodhisattva is a "Buddha-to-be" and "a being capable of enlightenment, who in compassion for mankind delays his entry into the state of Buddhahood in order to minister to others for striving for that goal" (Craven 90). The text adds that the Siddhartha Buddha himself was a Bodhisattva. Many of the Bodhisattva from Gandhara represented in the text are also from similar time periods, AD 150-200. Other Bodhisattva in the text from the same Late Gandhara style are from the 7th century and Fondukistan.
The earliest mention of Maitreya is in the Cakavatta Sutta in the Digha Nikaya 26 of the Pali Canon. Richard Gombrich states in "Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo" that Maitreya occurts in no other sutta in the Pali Canon, and this casts doubt to the sutta's authenticity (Gombrich 83). Maitreya is sometimes represented seated on a throne, and expressed both in Mahayana and non-Mahayana Buddhism. The representations of the Maitreya are broad, which may have been the cause of the influence on many arts, cultures, and religions.
The Norton Simon Museum's Bodhisattva Maitreya reflects many of the international styles present in the ancient kingdom of Gandhara, which is modern day Pakistan and Afghanistan. The figure represents a lot of the 2nd-3rd century art, culture, and religion influence based on the Maitreya and Bodhisattva origins. The Bodhisattva was not only an important aspect in terms of physical aesthetically valuable formalist art, but also within religions as a being aiding other sentient beings toward enlightenment. The Bodhisattva Maitreya proves to be important in all aspects of its representations.
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The Portrayal of Ancient Art with Aesthetic Value In “The Bodhisativa Vow: A Practical Guide to Helping Others”. (2023, May 30). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-portrayal-of-ancient-art-with-aesthetic-value-in-the-bodhisativa-vow-a-practical-guide-to-helping-others/
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