The growth of the Buddhist religion and art was very rapid in Asia. It entered all parts of the continent including northern, central, eastern and south-east Asia.

The art field in Japan prior to the arrival of Buddhism had been influenced by various art movements and cultures. The Yayoi and Kofun periods had just come to pass leaving their mark on the Japanese art culture.

In the 6th century, Buddhism settled in Japan. As it was fading away from India, Japan was becoming its capital. The Buddhist priests succeeded in attracting the ordinary people with their art works and sculptures. Eventually, Japan became the largest country of Buddhism in the world.

Several temples and monasteries were established in every parts of the country. The five storey pagoda, the Golden Hall of Horyule and the Kofuku-ji temple in the Nara city were the evidences for the Buddhist influence on the Japanese architecture.

Buddhist art also improved in the form of paintings and statues. The government was engaged in sponsoring a host of artists in order to create numerous paintings and sculptures. The art of the time revolved around realism and had a very graceful attraction. This was the result of Korean, Chinese and Hellenistic impacts that had come together to form a unique style.

The Buddhist art had a greater development between the 8th and 13th century. In the times of Nara and Heian, it became supreme in Japan. Hindu and Shintoist influences also were found in the Buddhist art forms. Most of the art works were portraying Buddhist deities and were exceptional because of their diversity and individuality.

After the 13th century, the traditional Buddhist art took the form of Zen art. This philosophy was brought to Japan by Dogen and Eisai. Apart from painting and pottery, the art of flower arrangement named Ikebana and the martial arts found their way to development in this time. These art works reveal their eagerness to unveil the real meaning of life.

Today Japan is home to around 80,000 Buddhist temples. Most of these temples have been made from wood and have undergone massive restoration for the purpose of preservation.

Japanese tattoo symbols are visually appealing and replete with esoteric meaning . If you want to know more about ancient Japanese tattoo art follow the preceding links.

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One of the top things that you must see when traveling to Laos are the Pak Ou Caves. Located just 25 km outside of Luang Prabang, you can hire a boat to take you there for the day or take a Songthaew overland on a bumpy road.

Located directly on the Mekong River, the Pak Ou Caves are one of the most sacred sights in the country. They are actually still used as a place of worship. Every New Year people from Luang Prabang make a pilgrimage to visit the caves containing over 4000 Buddha images and statues.

There are all sorts of different Buddha’s but the majority are the standing tall Luang Prabang Buddha statues. It is sensational. Approaching the caves from the opposite side of the river is a beautiful view. The white stairs can be seen leading into the dark hole cut into the side of the limestone cliff.

The caves contain two chambers. Tham Thing and Tham Pheung. Both are filled with thousands of statues, but Tham Pheung has more than the two. Tham Pheung is the higher cave and a torch is recommended as it can be quite dark.

The Pac Ou Caves make for a great day trip from Luang Prabang as you take a break from exploring the cities ancient architecture. But once you are back in town, make sure to check out everything that Luang Prabang has to offer. Rent a bike or go for a walk along the Mekong river to explore the day away.

Being a world heritage sight, Luang Prabang is littered with temples. Most Notably Haw Kham, the former Royal Palace. Each is beautiful and they contain ornate tapestries, carvings and Buddha images.

There is no shortage of food in Luang Prabang. From traditional Lao meals to coffee and pastry shops. You will never go hungry or tire of the choices. And after you have rejuvenated from a hearty lunch, you are ready to explore more of the sights, like a working Monastery. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of a group of monks practicing their drums.

While in Luang Prabang, you must walk the steep hill to Phou Si. It has a spectacular panoramic view of the area and the sunset is certainly one of the most beautiful you will ever see.

Not to be missed is the Night Market. Crammed with tourists it is a popular destination to buy your statues and paintings before you leave the country. It is a bit pricey, but a savvy shopper can find a good deal if they bargain hard. After you have worked up an appetite, you can simply hop into one of the many restaurants that are located on the edge of the market.

It wasn’t long ago that very few people visited Laos. Now Luang Prabang has become a very popular destination on the tourist route, so get there fast before the rest of the planet discovers this hidden gem of a nation.

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Beijing has been the center of religious worship since the Ming dynasty emperor Yongle made it China’s capital. Of all the temples built to praise supernatural forces, the Temple of Heaven stands as the most impressive.

Running an empire that held the worlds largest population, the Chinese emperors couldn’t just rely on intimidation and an effective government. They had to rule by legitimacy from Heaven.

Once forbidden ground, the Temple of Heaven is now ready to welcome you in and reveal all its mystery.

Enter from the southern gate. First you’ll see the Hall of Abstinence on the west side. The hall was where the emperor would prepare himself for the sacred ceremonies. During his stay here, he would stay away from onions, garlic, alcohol, meat, and sexual relations. Because Heaven wouldn’t like an extravagant emperor, the furnishings here were kept as simple as possible.

The Animal Slaughtering Hall and the Divine Kitchen stand on the other side of the temple. Animals such as cattle, sheep, and pigs were slaughtered, and it took scores of workers several days to finish the work. As the emperor fasted in the Hall of Abstinence, the kitchen prepared all kinds of delicious offerings such as biscuits, sugarcane, bread, and dried fruits.

Music was also an important facet of all ceremonies in the Temple of Heaven. In the Hall of Divine Music Administration, imperial orchestras practiced compositions day and night. When rituals were held, they would play all throughout. Sometimes rituals lasts a whole day and into the night!

The number of antique instruments displayed in the hall is a big hit. And be sure to enjoy the mock performances, which are staged every two hours.

The Circular Altar, standing at the center of the temple, is the most important structure in the Temple of Heaven. A radial terrace, the altar was built for the emperor to worship Heaven. Dont skip your photo opportunity here, as in ancient China this was believed to be the center of the universe.

And this was where the emperor would bow on his knees to take vows and confirm his legitimacy to rule China. A Chinese philosopher once wrote:If the ruler is right, then the creative energy of the universe will be harmonious and compliant. The rain and wind will be timely. Auspicious stars will appear, and then, the yellow dragon will descend.

The ritual gave the emperor absolute power to rule his empire.

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3. The Bihar State of India

Bihar is a north province of Republic of India. The state of Bihar lies south of Nepal and with West Bengal in the west and Uttar Pradesh in the east. It is the Hindi heartland of Republic of India. It is here that Gautama Buddha gifted his first ever preachings and found Nirvana.

The capital of Bihar is Patna. The city of Patna lies on the junction of 3 major rivers of which one is the river Ganges. Lord Buddha once said that this city Patna, then called Patliputra will face 3 major issues.

The Buddha is thought to have said that Patna the then Patlipurtra will face 3 difficult situations in terms of facing fire, political unrest and flood. Today, Patna indeed suffers from outbursts of fire, flood and political unrest.

The province of Bihar was titled as Magadha in its old times. Its very first crucial emperor was called by the name of Ashoka the Great. The spread of Buddhism in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Far East is attributable to this distinguished emperor.

It is said that he directed his numerous sons to several regions of the Earth as missionaries. The empire of Ashoka fans out from the east of India to the Persian Empire. It is said that he fell short of occupying the Persian Empire merely because the ruler had a matrimonial alliance to the king of Persia.

For the student of ancient history and followers of Buddhism, a trip to Bihar is a must. The ancient town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar houses the most holy sites of Buddhism. Some of which includes the original Bodhi tree where Buddha got enlightenment.

Here grows the Bodhi tree, where Buddha attained enlightenment. Most Buddhism countries and sects of the world have set of temples in the holy town of Bodh Gaya. The city of Bodh Gaya can be reached by either flying or taking a train to Patna and then taking the road or train to Bodh Gaya. A trip to the town of Godh Gaya is revelation.

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Early Tibetan Buddhist art was used to depict the life of Gautama Buddha in the Indian subcontinent in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. Throughout Asia, Buddhism spread widely and with it its influence over Tibetan art and culture in Asia. The first traditions of Tibetan Buddhist art followed the practices of aniconic artwork, meaning that the use of Buddhist symbols and emblems to represent the Buddha and his travels and teachings without actually using a human form to represent the Buddha himself. This was the typical way that Tibetan Buddhist art was made until the first century CE, when the Buddha was finally represented in human appearance, which is still followed to this day. In every new country or region in Asia, where Buddhism went, Buddhist art followed its worshippers and artists as the faith developed in many different ways. These colorful forms are widely used in Buddhist meditation.

The art of Tibet has always been thought of as religious in nature, particularly that of Buddhist art in Tibet and all over the rest of Asia and the ancient Himalayan kingdoms like Bhutan, Nepal and Ladakh.

Before the middle of the twentieth century, Tibetan Buddhist art was created to be depicted as sacred in its subjects and traditions. The art of Tibet centers on the philosophical and spiritual key concepts, but as the art of Tibet developed, the vitality of the aesthetics of Tibetan art also come into prominence when it came to the growth of the different schools of Buddhism all over the various regions and countries it influenced. The symbology of Buddhism used in Tibetan Buddhist art can be considered a study in the impressions that have emerged over the influences in Buddhism over the centuries.

The main influence of Buddhism in the fourth century was the Mahayana influence, which was known for its emphasis on the denial of Nirvana in order to better help others in need. Chenrezig is the chief deity depicted in the Tibetan Buddhist art of this time period of Mahayana influence. He is most often as a god with a thousand arms and in each hand is an eye.

Another influence in Tibetan Buddhist art is that of Tantric Buddhism; the most common symbolism being that of the diamond thunderbolt. Angry deities with furious faces are also prevalent in Tantric Buddhism as depicted in the art of the period. The ghastly images often represent protectors who are dedicated to the teaching of tantric practices and the conquering of negative aspects.

In the Himalayas, a shamanistic tradition known as Bon is considered another great influence of Buddhism and Buddhist art. In this shamanistic practice, many local deities are depicted in Buddhist temples as being with the Buddha as their conqueror and are considered to serve him by keeping mischief and evil away from the people.

Concentration and meditation have been the hallmarks of Buddhist meditation techniques for centuries. Ancient practitioners of the art of Tibetan Buddhism have kept the central techniques preserved for centuries in ancient texts that teachers have passed down to students.

As Tibetan Buddhist art flourished it had a great influence on the development of art in the Hindu religion. In the tenth century Buddhism nearly disappeared from India due to the brisk expansion of Islam along with Hinduism in India.

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Buddhist symbols are generally considered in relation to a particular culture or religious affiliation. Everebody heard about Eight Auspicious Symbols, dorje (vajra) and bell, stupa etc. In India, it is not surprising to find some commonly used Buddhist symbols, despite the fact that Hinduism is the main religion there. However, their representation and role serve totally different purposes. The Buddha lived about the 6th century but there has not been found any Buddhist art or symbols from this time. According to the Buddhist holy writings, the Buddha used such images and forms of art like the Wheel of Life in his teachings as symbolic representations to explain or elaborate a particular Buddhist teaching. Some artifacts dating to the time of Emperor Ashoka have been found and his conversion to Buddhism is believed was the first step to the spread of Buddhism around India and its neighboring countries.

Excavations of Buddhist art that have been discovered dating to the first century have mostly been symbolic by nature and their significance remained symbolic until the appearance of the Buddhist Tantra. This Buddhist used imagery and visualization as part of the Buddhist meditation. From here, Tibetan Buddhism was born and Buddhist temples began to have collections of Buddhist art and religious artifacts for Buddhist meditation purposes.

Common symbols found in almost all Buddhist temples are the Lotus, wheel and the stupa. These symbols are commonly used in Buddhist meditation rituals. Looking at some of these symbols will help us have a better understanding of the both Buddhist meditation and the accompanying religious practices.

The bell is one of the symbols used and it serves a natural function and is said to drive out evil spirits. It consists of a lotus symbol, dorje and a moondisc. In religious rituals, the bell is harmonized with the dorje, another symbol. The bell is used to represent the feminine principle of wisdom while the dorje represents the masculine principle of compassion.

The dorje is a substantive symbol that represents the invincible state of Buddha hood. The dorje is actually a scepter and is regarded as a very important ritual item in Buddhism meditation practices.

Incense burning is also taken to be a significant part of Buddhism worship. During the incense offering, this is the time to offer specific requests of success, longevity and any personal need. After this, Buddhist meditation is performed and such qualities as love, joy and compassion are reflected upon during these meditation periods.

One location that is important in Buddhist worship is Mount Kailash. This mountain peak is located on the Himalayan Mountains and is regarded as the central point of our vast universe. It is an important location for Buddhist meditation and has a religious connection to the 4 main religions of the region. These religions are Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Bon.

While one may interpret Buddhist art and symbols as visual mantras, contemplating on this artwork that is found in Buddhist temples and trying to understand how it is so much a part of Buddhist meditation is claimed this will build inner contact with the element being represented.

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Incense burning is seen in many places as having religious significance as well as a way of purification. This rite has been around for hundreds of years and has continued till today. Incense burning is release of aromatic fumes or odors by burning certain materials. While some burn incense for medicinal purpose, it can also be done for purely aesthetic value.

Today, with advanced technology, incense burning has taken a different turn and the reasons for incense burning have changed. This has largely been influenced by the underlying cultural of roots of the people as well as the diversity of cultures. Whatever the reasons, it seems that incense burning has picked up in recent years.

Incense burning today is very diverse with many materials being used. Oils, solids and other things that have a fragrance are being used. The large diversity means the need for appropriate incense burners is necessary. A solid can be held on the same incense burner as a liquid, like frankincense.

Some liquid aromatics are added a charcoal powder base that is then placed on the incense burner. Others use synthesized materials. All these substances thus require their own incense burners.

Incense can be classified by the degree it is burnt to as well as the mode of burning. The two common ways of classification are direct incense burning and indirect incense burning. A well-known substance that uses indirect burning to produce fragrances is frankincense. In the European languages, Frankincense can mean any aromatic incense. Strictly speaking, frankincense is burnt while in the unprocessed raw form by placing it on its incense burner that has coal embers. Myrrh is also another substance that is indirectly burnt.

In case of direct burning, the substance is supplied with an initial heat source. After that it is placed on an incense burner and allowed to smolder until it is all gone. This means that it has to be made of finely grounded particles of highly flammable substance and be placed or suspended on the appropriate incense burner. For effective direct burning, the material composition is crucial so that it provides the required fragrance as well as have it burn evenly.

A good example of incense that is burnt directly is coils. When suspended on an incense burner, they can burn for extended periods. When burning loose powder directly, it is necessary to first have it coated around a flammable supporting material and then pressed to hold the powder. After that, it needs to be suspended on the appropriate incense burner. Other direct burning modes are cones, cored sticks that have a supporting bamboo, solid sticks and incense blanks. The latter is simply dust that has been scented by adding fragrances to it or essential oils.

Incense burners and holders come in all shapes and sizes. They can be categorized on their representation as well as their use. Incense burners representing mythical creatures like dragons and mermaids are common. Others are representations of mythical gods and ancient fairytale creatures. A search online will show up a good number of these burners together with the pictures.

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Siddhartha Gotama, or the Buddha was not and did not claim to be a God. He was an awakened man who himself taught others the path to enlightenment.

Many Buddhists do not think of Buddhism as a religion, but as a philosophy or a way of life. It is thought of as a philosophy because philosophy ‘means the love of wisdom’ and a Buddhist’s path is to:

1. lead a moral life
2. be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions
3. develop wisdom and understanding

The story of Siddhartha Gotama is generally well known. He was born into a royal family in Lumbini, now located in Nepal, in 563 BC. At the age of 29, he realized a life of wealth and luxury did not lead to happiness. He set out and explored the different teachings religions and philosophies of his day. He wanted to find the key to human happiness. After six years of study and meditation he finally found ‘the middle path’ and was enlightened. After his enlightenment, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism — called the Dhamma, or Truth — until his death at the age of 80.

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