Artwork Details

Title
Renunciation, from a set of the Twelve Deeds of the Buddha, After a woodblock carved in Derge, Kham region, eastern Tibet, composition attributed to Purbu Tsering of Chamdo (active ca. late 19th century)
Dimensions
37 7/8 x 26 5/8 x 1 5/8 in. (96.2 x 67.6 x 4.1 cm)
Medium
Pigments on cloth
Origin
Kham Region, Eastern Tibet
Classification(s)
paintings
Date
20th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation
Object number
F1997.42.2
HAR Number
573

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Karma

Concepts

The functioning of cause and effect across time. Buddhists believe that everything we experience is the result of past actions, and everything we initiate has future consequences. Karma encourages actions to bring about positive outcomes and a better future.

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Cyclicality

Concepts

The continuous cycle of life, death, and rebirth known as samsara. Buddhists believe that it is possible to exit this cycle if one achieves a state of awakening or nirvana by following a prescribed path. 

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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.

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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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