This dissertation addresses the significance of regional developments in Indian art by focusing on the Buddhist art tradition of the Dhaka region in East Bengal from approximately the seventh to twelfth century CE. The Buddhist images and sites examined in this dissertation formed a part of a greater corpus of Buddhist art usually defined as ‘Eastern Indian art of the early medieval period or the PAlA-Sena period’. Art historians have concentrated on explaining common factors that determine Buddhist art of this region, because this is where the last stage of Indian Buddhism flourished, and thus its art has been considered as a product of the same stage of Buddhism as well as the same dynastic patronage. My study of Buddhist art from the Dhaka area is proposed as a first step toward a characterization of the different local traditions in eastern India, particularly, in Bengal, which has been neglected in the study of Buddhist art. The present study divides the Buddhist images from the Dhaka region into two groups according to their size. The size of the images helps one to place them in either a public or a private context. On the basis of surviving sculptures, most of the central Buddhist worship objects from the Dhaka region portray multi-headed and -armed deities that personify transcendent wisdom. Private worship objects also often portray these deities. The presence of large images of unique wisdom goddesses in the Dhaka region, who were never portrayed or only portrayed in a small size in other regions, suggests that the Buddhist practice in the Dhaka region was closely engaged in the assimilation of various goddess cults. The present study challenges the traditional distinction between iconography and style. By discussing individual components of the images as a whole, this dissertation also seeks to identify the major characteristics of Buddhist art from the Dhaka region. / text

published_or_final_version / Buddhist Studies / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Filial piety is regarded the most fundamental values of the Chinese culture, and the root of all good virtues. When Buddhism first came to China, it faced the criticisms from Chinese scholars, especially from the Confucianism, the dominant ideology of Chinese society, on ethical grounds. Confucian scholars criticized the life of Buddhist monks, who were required to leave their homes and families, shave their heads, and live in celibacy, was incompatible with the Confucian practice of filial piety. In order to survive in Chinese society, Buddhism had to search for the converging point with the Confucianism. This thesis attempts to explore the importance and practice of filial piety in early Buddhism. It also discusses how Chinese Buddhists responded to the criticisms both in theoretical argumentation and in practice. Finally, it concludes the main content and features of filial piety in Chinese Buddhism. This thesis divides into four chapters. The first chapter discusses the origins of filial piety in Chinese society, from particularly due to the agriculture economy, worship of ancestors, patriarchal clan system, and the development of ideology of filial piety from Confucius. The second chapter mainly illustrates the importance and practice of filial piety in early Buddhism. The third part concentrates on Chinese Buddhists’ respondents on the “unfilial practice” accusations by (i) translations of and references to Buddhist sutras that taught filial behavior; (ii) writing scholarly refutations to defend the “unfilial practices” charges, and (iii) interpreting Buddhist precepts are equivalent of the concept of Confucian filial piety. In practice, they responded by (i) composing apocryphal scriptures, (ii) annual celebration of the Yulanpen (ghost) festival, popularizing stories and parables as by way of painted illustrations, public lectures. The third chapter discuss the main content and features of filial piety in Chinese Buddhism, which are(i)to requite parents and all sentient beings with gratitude and equality; (ii) to differentiate “this worldly filial piety” and “supramundane filial piety”; (iii) to infuse Buddhist precepts and Confucian filial piety together;(iv)to chant the name of Amitābhaḥ Buddha as a way of religious discipline and the practice of filial piety. / published_or_final_version / Chinese Language and Literature / Master / Master of Arts

No description available.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-127). / vi, 127 leaves, bound 29 cm

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- McMaster University, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 309-324). Also available via World Wide Web.

"Thesis approved by the University of Calcutta for the degree of Ph. D." / First ed., 1946, published under title: Obscure religious cults as background of Bengali literature. Includes bibliographical references.

"Thesis approved by the University of Calcutta for Griffith memorial prize for original research. 1919." / Bibliography: p. 11-14.

Thesis (master's)--Mahāwitthayālai Thammasāt, 1988. / In Thai. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-234).