Applied Philosophy of Buddhist Iconography
- Course Title: Applied Philosophy of Buddhist Iconography
- Minimum Eligibility: Class XII/ Intermediate/ 10+2
- Course Fee: INR ₹ 3000
- Registration Period: Twice in a year
- Course Duration: One Semester
- Teaching Mode: Online
Course Introduction:
This course illuminates the philosophical foundations of Buddhist iconography, with emphasis on Mahāyāna traditions and their visual embodiment of the Bodhisattva path and practices. Students will explore how fundamental concepts like emptiness (śūnyatā), wisdom (prajñā), compassion (karuṇā), and skillful means (upāya) manifest in artistic representations. The course will explain how enlightenment, the marks of an enlightened being and their respective causes, meditation āsanas, the unique qualities of Great Bodhisattvas and their deeds as taught in Mahāyāna sūtras and Nalanda Masters’ texts such as Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Madhyamakāvatāra, Bodhisattvabhūmi, and others are expressed through their unique iconographic representations. Discussing their distinctive philosophical associations and visual attributes, the course will highlight their contemplative and practical significance.
Visual art serves as a powerful bridge between profound philosophical principles and practice in the Mahāyāna tradition. Each iconographic feature—from hand gestures to symbolic implements—encodes specific aspects of Buddhist doctrine and contemplative methods. By developing the ability to interpret these visual languages, students will gain insight into how practitioners throughout history have engaged with sacred imagery as supports for meditation and vehicles for realizing the Mahāyāna vision of universal liberation through the perfection of wisdom and compassion.
Objectives:
- Examine the key Mahāyāna philosophical foundations that inform Buddhist iconographic traditions
- Analyze the relationship between classical Buddhist philosophical texts and visual representations
- Develop skills in visual analysis and philosophical interpretation of Buddhist imagery
- Bridge the gap between visual art, profound philosophical principles and practice in the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition