Major Figures in Buddhist Art and Literature

Buddhist art and literature are filled with countless fabled and iconic characters--buddhas, bodhisattvas, deities and demons. Here are guides to who these beings are and what they represent.
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Big Buddhas: A Photo Gallery
A photo gallery of the world's biggest Buddha statues, including the Leshan giant of China, the Monywa reclining Buddha of Burma, and the Ushiku standing Buddha of Japan.
© Wayne Zhou | Dreamstime.com
Five Major Bodhisattvas - Great Beings of Buddhism
Bodhisattvas work to bring all beings to enlightenment. Countless transcendent bodhisattvas are found in Buddhist art and literature, but these five are the most important.
Mara's Temptations - © Tom Cockrem / Getty Images
Mara, the Demon of Buddhist Mythology Who Challenged the Buddha
The demon Mara plays a role in many stories of the Buddha and his monks. This article discusses Mara's origins and what he represents in Buddhism.
Manjusri Tibetan - © Ling Cui / Getty Images
Manjusri - Buddhist bodhisattva of wisdom
Manjusri is one of the most important iconic figures of Mahayana Buddhist art and literature. He represents prajna, wisdom that is not confined to conceptual knowledge.
Jizo Statues - © Electra K. Vasileiadou / Getty Images
Jizo Bosatsu: The Bodhisattva Who Guides and Protects Children
Jizo Bosatsu (Bodhisattva) is one of the most beloved figures of Japanese Buddhism. He is known in particular as the protector of deceased children.
Photo Dictionary of Japanese Buddhist Art
Mark Schumacher's Online Guide to Japanese Buddhist and Shinto Art is a great resource for anyone who needs a quick introduction to such figures as Fudo Myo-o, a wrathful deity who protects the Dharma from ignorance, or Jizo Bosatsu, the beloved protector of children, small animals, pregnant mothers, travelers, firemen, and pretty much everyone else.
Statue_of_Shinran-_at_Honganji_Nagoya_Betsuin_2.jpg - Public Domain
Shinran Shonin - Founder of Jodo Shinshu Pure Land Buddhism
Shinran Shonin (1173-1262) was a rule-breaker and innovator who founded Jodo Shinshu, the largest school of Buddhism in Japan.
angkor-wat-buddha.jpg - © Mike Harrington / Getty Images
Ten Famous Buddhas: Where They Came From; What They Represent
These are among the most famous and iconic images of the Buddha ever created. Learn the stories behind these amazing works of art.
Chinese Dragon, Thean Hou - © Ed Norton / Getty Images
Dragons, Demons and More: A Guide to Buddhist Temple Guardians
Buddhist temples often are guarded by statues and paintings of mythological creatures. Here is a guide to the most common Buddhist temple protectors.
Guanyin Song Dynasty - Photo by Mountain - 自己的作品, Wikipedia Commons, Creative Commons License
The Bodhisattvas of Buddhism Portrayed in Great Art Through the Ages
Bodhisattvas are the spiritual ideals of Mahayana Buddhism. This slide show presents some of the many sumptuous ways bodhisattvas are portrayed in art.
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