Home > Nepalese Temple and a panorama of Buddhist artwork > Artwork inside the temple
Among the Buddhist artwork, Buddhist statue casting techniques are world-class. Formerly introduced from India, the casting method still lives on in Nepal while it diminished in India. Nowadays, Buddhist statues sold at ancient Buddhist sites in India are mostly imported from Nepal. Buddhist paintings and mandalas are also famous. Currently, the majority of Buddhist art is made in Patan in Kathmandu Valley, and visitors can see numerous workshops and shops that sell craftwork in the city.
- the satals and brace
- Shakyamuni Buddha (turquoise)
- Diamond Realm Mandala
- Eleven-Faced，Thousand-Armed， Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteshvara
On the angle brace of the satals in the four corners of the building, a relief shows the life of Shakyamuni Buddha. (A satal is a place which is made to provide temporary shelter for travelers to Kathmandu.) Buddha's life, from birth to passing away, is shown clockwise in the 45 reliefs starting from the entrance.
・No.18: Buddha, who has become thin from the ascetic training as a monk.
・No.19: Buddha meditating after he hears the tune of the lute and recognizes that asceticism will not lead him to enlightenment.
・No.27: Buddha, who became spiritually enlightened, gives his first discourse. (The First Turning of the Wheel of Dhama)
・No.45: Disciples watch Buddha enter nirvana in the land of Kushinagar
This is a turquoise relief situating a Shakyamuni in the center. Turquoise was cherished in many civilivation from thousands of years ago, and was believed to have a power of protection. The Shakyamuni in the center has one hand on the ground. This was the hand-gesture taken by Buddha, still under training, touched the ground when he repelled evil and was enlightened. Therefore it is also called the evil-repelling gesture, representing an impregnable Bodhichitta (sincere desire to be fully awakened as Buddha). Various other Shakyamuni relief with varying hand-gestures surround the center Shakyamuni, and the upper part pictures Buddha in nirvana.
Kongo-kai (Diamond Realm) Mandala is a mandala expressing the world of Kongocho-kyo (Diamond Peak Sutra). This is a sutra established in the last 7th century in India shortly after the Dainichi-kyo (Mahavairocana Sutra). In the Diamond Peak sutra, it says that the Diamond Realm Tathagata Mahavairocana created the Diamond Realm 37 Holy Beings, which include the Four Buddhas and the Sixteen Great Bodhisattvas. Diamond Realm Mandala shows this image.
One of the Bodhisattvas believed in Buddhism has one eye on each of its palms of the 1,000 arms, which is also where its name originates ("Sahasrabhuja-arya-avalokiteśvara" meaning "a being with 1,000 arms). This Bodhisattva asked Amitabha for the 1,000 arms and 1,000 eyes to save all sentient beings without omission. It is one of the transformations of Avalokiteśvara, and in the Mandala of Esoteric Buddhism, it is situated in the lotus circle. It is also referred to as "Holder of the Lotus," and this is where the name, Renge-O-In-Hondo ("Main Temple of the Lotus Holder"), the formal name of the Sanjyu-Sangen-Do in Kyoto, originates.
