Illustrated Manuscript Depicting the Story of Water

Artwork Details

Title: Illustrated Manuscript Depicting the Story of Water

Dimensions: 25 1/4 x 11 1/8 x 3/8 in. (64.1 x 28.3 x 1 cm)

Medium: Pigments on paper

Origin: Nepal

Classification(s): manuscripts

Date: 17th century

Credit Line: Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation

Object number: F1996.31.33

HAR Number: 100018

Published references: * Vajracarya, Gautamavajra. Nepalese Seasons: Rain and Ritual. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2016. Fig. 18: pp. 25-26

Instruction

Concepts

Teachings and precepts that offer practical and experiential guidance. In Buddhism instruction is primarily an oral tradition and is often targeted to the specific needs or disposition of a student or disciple.

Secular Goals

Concepts

While the primary religious goal for followers of Buddhism is enlightenment, many of the practices also serve secular goals related to daily life, including ethical conduct and cultivating well-being.

Storytelling

Concepts

A vehicle for the preservation and transmission of knowledge. The Buddha’s teachings were originally passed down through oral transmission and storytelling, and stories of the Buddha’s past lives are considered an important source of inspiration and guidance.

Nepalese Regions

Region

The Himalayan kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley were significant centers of Buddhist culture. Nepalese kings, Buddhist institutions, and ordinary people patronized the vibrant art guilds. The artistic traditions of the regions are well-known in Tibetan areas and beyond, and Newar artists have always been in high demand throughout Tibetan regions and Inner Asia.