ART History Midterm 1 - Terms

Karma

you reap what you sow; cause and effect

Shakyamuni

Sage of the Shakya Clan

Maya

Queen and mother of the Buddha; dreams about white elephant

Bodhgaya

the location of the enlightenment of Buddha; where Mara (god of desire) attacks Buddha

Sarnath

location of the first sermon

Parinirvana

place devoid of duality'; death of the Buddha

Samgha

community; monastic order

Dharma

teachings of the Buddha

Vihara

dormitory for monks; large square building communal living

Stupa

round burial mount; used to honor relics

Circumambulation

walk around sacred site to show respect

Theravada

earliest form of Buddhism; traditional views; emphasis on monastic order; 1 Buddha at a time

Mahayana

most diverse form of Buddhism; goal is to become Buddha; multiple Buddhas

Vajrayana

“diamond path'“; secretive form’ by overcoming fear & desire you can reach enlightenment state

Bodhisattva

future Buddha'; usually shown very elegant and glamorous

Aniconism

absence of the main image; particular subject is avoided; no depiction of Buddha

Continuous Narrative

visual storytelling where multiple moments of time are depicted in one frame

Yaksha/Yakshi

local deity; stands for health, wealth, and fertility

Naga

spirits associated with water; serpent-like; cobra heads and tails

King Ashoka

Mauryan Empire (272-231 BCE); thought to be a legend and hero; built scattered rock inscriptions and pillars

Jataka Tales

Buddha’s past lives

Vessantara

Buddha’s past life prior; one previous cycle; very, very generous

Torana

gateway to sacred site

Vedika

fence or railing for sacred sites

Style

same meaning but in different fonts; not what is conveyed but how it is conveyed

Iconography

the visual clues that led us to identify an individual or scene in art

Maitreya

the next Buddha; stupa in headdress

Avalokiteshvara

bodhisattva of compassion; often carries flower

Vakataka Dynasty

King Harisena promoted and preserved Buddhism during his reign; patronage for Cave 1

Satavahana Dynasty

the Amaravati (Great) Stupa was built; 2nd BCE - 3rd century;

Queen Chamtisiri

a generous woman who gifted abundantly to family; written inscriptions; wanted enlightenment and nirvana

Naga Mucalinda

the naga that helps buddha during meditation/fasting; sheltering him from storm

Yijing

a pilgrim from China; 635-713 c;

Relic

remains/pieces of holy; like Buddha himself or other monks

Mahavamsa

A story/chronicle about history of Sri Lanka royal drama; evil prince overthrows father from throne and kicks brother out of kingdom

Mon

an indigenous culture/ group of people in Myanmar and Thailand; adopted Buddhism through trading

Dvaravati (7th-10th c)

ancient kingdom in Thailand and parts of Myanmar; first to adopt Buddhism in Southeast Asia

Sukhothai (13th-14th c)

Kingdom in Thailand; represents Buddha stylistically different than other places; the walking Buddha statue

Lost Wax Technique

steps: clay → wax → clay → heat→ metal; clay hardens and wax melts through the holes to pour out → pour metal in place of wax; bronze casting technique

Dharmaraja

special entitlement/right dharma to become a king/ruler; moral king; justification to be king; monastic order validates king; servant to people

Bagan

in Myanmar; a valley where great donations from past kings to outdo other kings and to receive Dharmaraja for their reign

Nat

similar to yakshas; local and associated with lineage and families; ghosts; unfinished business and tragedy death

Anawrahta

a king who used Buddhist monks to justify his rule over kingdom in 1044; Mt. Popa - moved nats to bottom of mountain and Buddhist temple on top

Shin Arahan

very important monk; basically, leader of monastic order in Myanmar; converted King Anawrahta and convinced Kyanzittha to finish stupa

Kyanzittha

adopted son of King Anawrahta; defeated his brother Sawlu (successor to throne); used literature and art to legitimize his claim to throne

Lacquer

a tree sap used for artwork and architecture preservation; used to make objects

Sailendra Dynasty (750-860)

located in Java Island, Indonesia; buddha temple/sites

Tara

bodhisattva of compassion but in different gender; woman with multiple arms

Corbelled Arch

a building technique used in Indonesia to channel force of weight to the side, so it doesn’t fall; used as a doorway to Chandi Mendut

Hariti

Goddess of fertility, love, and birth; originated in India as goddess of disease but Buddha converted her; shrines near dining halls to “feed her children”

Kubera

King of Yaksha; God of wealth

Karmavibhanga

a book about karma; in scripted all over Borobudur structure; teaches about morals