Artwork Details

Title
Buddha Shakyamuni
Dimensions
28 3/8 × 18 3/4 in. (estimated)
Medium
Pigment on cloth
Origin
Tsang Province, Central Tibet
Classification(s)
paintings
Date
18th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Shelley and Donald Rubin
Object number
C2006.66.128
HAR Number
75
Published references
*Jackson, David P. The Place of Provenance: Regional Styles in Tibetan Painting. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2012. Fig. 4.5. Pp. 56, 60-61.*Mullin, Glenn H. Buddha in Paradise: A Celebration in Himalayan Art. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2007. Fig. 15; Pp. 43-45.*Rhie, Marylin M., and Robert A.F. Thurman. Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art and Wisdom of Compassion. New York: Tibet House, 1999. Cat. 183; Pp. 454-455.

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Enlightenment

Concepts

A state of “waking up” from illusion and seeing the true nature of reality. Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment while meditating under the bodhi tree. Buddhist teaching explains that the accumulation of merit and wisdom are essential for achieving enlightenment, also known as awakening.

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Awakening

Concepts

A state of “waking up” from illusion and seeing the true nature of reality. Buddha Shakyamuni attained awakening while meditating under the bodhi tree. Buddhist teaching explains that the accumulation of merit and wisdom are essential for achieving awakening, also known as enlightenment.

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Wisdom

Concepts

The antidote to ignorance, with the highest form of wisdom being an understanding of the true nature of reality and all phenomena. In Buddhism studying the nature of interdependence and emptiness is considered an important step for attaining wisdom.

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Buddhas

Figure Type

An awakened being who understands the true nature of reality and is free from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. While there are many buddhas, Siddhartha Gautama is the historical Buddha, whose teachings became the foundation of Buddhism.

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Tibetan Regions

Region

Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.

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