Tricycle | Awake in the World

Echoes of the Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtanghsan, buddha sculptures and digital reconstructions, on New York’s Upper East Side.The great Buddhist reliquaries of the world—be they caves, mountainside monasteries, summit stupas, or ancient monuments—remain inaccessible to most due to their remoteness. Though great leaps in transportation technology have closed vast distances, both the pillaging of artifacts and the limiting of exposure in the interest of preservation continue to make visits to these far-flung sites difficult. Two alternatives act as windows that provide virtual access to these otherwise inaccessible environs: the removal of objects of worship into private collections and museums, whereby they can be admired by the privileged elite and the general public, respectively, or the creation of immaterial or easily transportable renderings—primarily photography, but also painting and, more recently, digital modeling. More »

Buddhist practice and Buddhist art have been inseparable in the Himalayas ever since Buddhism arrived to the region in the eighth century. But for the casual observer it can be difficult to make sense of the complex iconography. Not to worry—Himalayan art scholar Jeff Watt is here to help. In this "Himalayan Buddhist Art 101" series, Jeff is making sense of this rich artistic tradition by presenting weekly images from the Himalayan Art Resources archives and explaining their roles in the Buddhist tradition. This week Jeff explains the common depiction of Padmasambhava set amid a copper-colored mountain. Himalayan Art 101: Padmasambhava and the Copper-Colored Mountain More »