Art of Asia: Hinduism and Hindu Art - Essay Example

Cyberjourney: Art of Asia: Hinduism and Hindu Art – Describe the artistic presentation of Shiva, Diva, Vishnu or any of the of Hindu gods. How doesHindu art present multiplicity and unity? It was a surprise that the deities of Hindu mythology date millennia back, to 7200 BC. when the hymns of the Rig Veda came into existence. The Vedic gods are described as “abstractions” and not actual personages; they stand for the elements of nature such as air, water, and fire (Indian Divinity, 2012).

It was in the post-Vedic period that the Hindu gods emerged who took on a more personal character. Vishnu is one of the later deities to whom was ascribed a personality, that of the Supreme Reality which preserves and sustains the universe. He is depicted in human form with a blue body with four arms. He is dressed in yellow, wears a gem around the neck, and carries in his hands a conch, a mace, and a discus. He is typically shown mounted on Shesha Nag, the thousand-headed snake. Bhagwan Vishnu, the Protector (Pandit, 2012).

The shankha (conch) is used to call his faithful, and indicates that Vishnu communicates with them. The chakra (discus) is a weapon used to protect his people from evil, and the gada (mace) symbolizes the energy with which he sustains the world. The image of Vishnu signifies multiplicity; the two front arms represent his presence in the physical world and the two back arms the spiritual world. His blue color represents the eternal world where he dwells, and the yellow clothing represents the earthly or temporal world in which Vishnu is said to reincarnate himself, in order to destroy evil and uphold righteousness.

(Vishnu is known to have ten incarnations, some in animal form, through which he was thought to have assisted his followers during the different stages of human evolution.) The right side of his body symbolize creativity of the mind and intellect, the left side the emotions: love, compassion and kindness. The two earrings signify the necessary duality of all creation: knowledge and ignorance, happiness and unhappiness, pleasure and pain. Even as these multiplicities are depicted, Vishnu is also shown to embody unity.

Vishnu is often depicted with the blue sky as background, as if to unify with His blue color which symbolizes infinity and timelessness. Vishnu is conceived to be “nameless, formless and immeasurable” (Pandit, 2012). He hears and knows all his followers’ genuine desires, and the gem on his neck symbolizes that he fulfils his devotees’ wishes and provides for all their needs. The flower garland he wears around his neck symbolizes his followers’ adoration. Finally, the crown on his head is a symbol of Vishnu’s supreme and singular power and authority (Pandit, 2012).

Vishnu’s image is full of symbolism, conveying that Vishnu’s multiplicity is evident in everything that exists, but these different attributes are united in him as supreme being. The artistry and depth of Hindu artistry in this respect is quite remarkable. The intricacy by which the Hindi faithful depict their deities is an expression of the depth of their faith and mysticism. I believe it is a crucial factor in the survival of the Hindu culture and society for almost 10,000 years. References “Indian Divinity.” (2012) Mayukhi.

com Series. Retrieved 29 August 2012 from http://www.webonautics.com/mythology/mythology.html Pandit, B (2012) “Lord Vishnu”. Kashmiri Overseas Association USA, Inc. Retrieved 29 August 2012 from http://www.koausa.org/Gods/God3.html Reply to student’s post: Kleinhaus-chin, Natasha Natasha’s post draws our attention to how different the principles of Buddhism are compared to the way we live our modern lives. The Four Noble Truths in particular will find many detractors among the youth, although those people who have achieved advanced maturity will see the wisdom in them.

For instance, “Life is suffering,” and to end suffering one must suppress all desire, will probably be laughed at by the young, but agreed to only by a few of their parents. Every aspect of Western life feeds on desire – promotion on the job, a higher salary, a better home, a higher standard of living, and more and more material wealth. I cannot help feeling that technology and science will not fit foursquare with Buddhism’s eightfold path, because of the constant search for knowledge and a better temporal or worldly life that is espoused by science.

It is therefore strange that Buddhism should teach Art, also, does not seem to fit into Buddhism’s teachings. Much of art is related to passion and the expression of intense emotion and individuality. Buddhism, on the other hand, is focused upon the search for peace and enlightenment, culminating in spiritual unity. However, the attainment of Nirvana or complete spiritual clarity means the absence of desire, passion, challenge, ambition and aspiration. In the artistic sense, this is the reason probably why the images of Buddha are highly stylized and generally serene, limiting the representations of Buddha to a specific set of poses (reclining Buddha, Buddha in lotus position, etc.) However, there are recently more popular versions such as the Laughing Buddha (Seow, 2003; London, 2005) which show him with a wide grin, alone or with many children.

This personalizes the image of Buddha to many simple folk not steeped in the lofty philosophy of Buddhism. References: Artsmia. "Art of Asia: Buddhism - The Art of Enlightenment." YouTube. YouTube, 14 June 2007. Web. 23 Aug. 2012. . London, F (2005) The Laughing Buddha Box. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books LLC "Origins of Buddhism - The Art of Asia - Buddhism." Origins of Buddhism - The Art of Asia - Buddhism. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Aug. 2012. . Seow, J C H (2003) Legend of the Laughing Buddha. Singapore: Asiapac Books Pte. Ltd.