Buddhist Aesthetics?

Authors

  • Richard Gombrich Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.v8i1.83

Keywords:

aesthetics, art, Buddhism

Abstract

The Pali canon shows a largely negative view of visual art. In ancient Indian culture, beauty is associated with sexual attraction, and has an erotic overtone. Concern with beauty conflicts with the Buddhist ideal of detachment from worldly pleasures. On the other hand Buddhists have created wonderful works of art, and monks can be painters or dancers. Pictures and performances are made as expressions of devotion, and as means of acquiring merit, and most importantly to convey a Buddhist message.

Author Biography

  • Richard Gombrich

    Richard Gombrich is an Honorary Life Member of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. In 2004, on retirement from the Boden Chair of Sanskrit at Oxford University, which he held for 28 years with a Fellowship at Balliol College, he founded the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, and is still its Director. He has published 20 books and 130 articles. He has worked on early Buddhist texts, and, as an anthropologist, on living Buddhist communities. He is interested in the application of Buddhism to practical problems. See www.ocbs.org, and the Wikipedia article “Richard Gombrich”.

References

de Silva, Rajendra H. 2009. Sigiriya Paintings. Nawala, Sri Lanka: R. H. de Silva.

Dutton, Denis. 2001. ‘Aesthetic Universals.’ In B. N. Gaut and D. M. Lopes (eds), Routledge Companion to Aesthetics: 203–14. London: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203390795_chapter_22

Gombrich, R. 1966. ‘The Consecration of a Buddhist Image.’ Journal of Asian Studies 26(1): 23–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2051829

Gombrich, R. 1971. Precept and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

— 2009. What the Buddha Thought. London: Equinox.

Tolstoy, Leo. 1929 [1898]. ‘What is Art?’. In Aylmer Maude (trans.), Tolstóy Centenary Edition: XVIII, 65–312. London: Oxford University Press, 1929–1937.

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Published

2014-08-22

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2014)

Section

Articles

License

© Equinox Publishing Ltd.

For information regarding our Open Access policy, click here.

How to Cite

Gombrich, R. (2014). Buddhist Aesthetics?. Religions of South Asia, 8(1), 83-96. https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.v8i1.83