The Iconography of Avalokitesvara in Mainland South East Asia

by Nandana Chutiwongs

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This book contains a life-long study by the author on the concept and configuration of one of the best loved religious figures in Asia. It is based on data extensively acquired from inscriptional and other archaeological evidence. The book offers a deep insight into the religious life of ancient Southeast Asia, which had provided the backdrop to the veneration of Avalokitesvara, the Buddhist personification of compassion.

The visual representations portray him in an amazing variety of forms, reflecting the local adaptations of imported norms, to meet the spiritual obligations and the aesthetic aspirations of each community. Their iconographic details symbolically personify a series of religious ideologies, of human hope, basic needs and of yearning faith. Their stylistic features reveal, not only the standards of human artistic achievements, but also the trends of religious variants among societies of different cultural and social backgrounds, but united in a common faith and belief.

Contents:

1. Foreword/Lalit M. Gujral
2. Introduction
3. The cultural relations between India and South East Asia :
1. The Beginning of contact between India and South East Asia
2. The advent of Buddhism in South East Asia
3. Notes and references.
4. Avalokitesvara in the homeland of Buddhism :
1. Avalokitesvara and the development of the Bodhisattva concept
2. Avalokitesvara in Indian Buddhism
3. Avalokitesvara in Indian art
4. Notes and references. Appendix: Avalokitesvara in Sri Lanka :
5. Buddhism in Sri Lanka
6. Avalokitesvara in Sri Lankan Buddhism
7. Avalokitesvara in Sri Lankan art
8. Notes and references.
5. Avalokitesvara in Burma:
1. Buddhism in Burma
2. Avalokitesvara in Burmese Buddhism
3. Images of Avalokitesvara in Burma: Iconographical and stylistic analysis:
1. Physical data.
2. The variety of forms:
1. Two-armed form
2. Four-armed form
3. Six-armed form.
3. Postures :
1. Standing postures
2. Sitting postures.
4. Mudras :
1. Varamudra
2. Abhayamudra
3. Vitarkamudra.
5. Attributes :
1. Padma
2. Pustaka
3. Kamandalu
4. Aksamala
5. Tridanda or Trisula
6. Camara
7. Pasa (?)
8. Gada (?)
9. Fan.
6. Attire :
1. Upper garment
2. Lower garment.
7. Ornaments :
1. Head-dress
2. Ear-ornaments
3. Necklace
4. Upavita
5. Udarabandha
6. Girdle
7. Armlets
8. Wristlets
9. Anklets
8. Chronology of the images
9. Notes and references
10. Appendix: The guardians of the Bodhisattvas’ Paradise at the Abeyadana
11. Notes and references.
6. Avalokitesvara in Central Thailand with special reference to Dvaravati :
1. Buddhism in Central Thailand
2. Avalokitesvara in Dvaravati Buddhism
3. Images of Avalokitesvara in Dvaravati style: Iconographical and stylistic analysis :
1. Physical data.
2. The variety of forms:
1. Two-armed form
2. Four-armed form
3. Twelve-armed form.
3. Postures :
1. Standing postures
2. Sitting posture.
4. Mudras :
1. Vitarkamudra
2. Abhayamudra
3. Varamudra.
5. Attributes :
1. Padma
2. Kamandalu
3. Aksamala
4. Pustaka
5. Tridanda
6. Cintamani
7. Pasa (?)
8. Ankusa (?)
9. Gada (?).
6. Attire :
1. Upper garment
2. Lower garment.
7. Ornaments :
1. Head-dress
2. Ear-ornaments
3. Necklace
4. Upavita
5. Udarabandha
6. Girdle
7. Armlets
8. Wristlets
9. Anklets
8. Chronology of the images
9. Notes and references.
4. Appendix : The ‘Banaspati’ Motif on Dvaravati stelae.
5. Notes and references.
7. Avalokitesvara in Ancient Cambodia :
1. Buddhism in Ancient Cambodia
2. Avalokitesvara in Cambodian Buddhism
3. Images of Avalokitesvara in Ancient Cambodia: Iconographical and stylistic analysis :
4. Physical data.
5. The variety of forms:
1. Two-armed form
2. Four-armed form
3. Six-armed form
4. Eight-armed form
5. Ten-armed form
6. Sixteen-armed form
7. Twenty-two armed-form
8. Thirty-two-armed form.
6. Postures :
1. Standing postures
2. Sitting posture.
7. Mudra : Varamudra.
8. Attributes :
1. Padma
2. Kamandalu
3. Aksamala
4. Pustaka
5. Vajra
6. Pasa
7. Ankusa
8. Cakra
9. Khadga
10. Figurine
11. Kalasa
12. Sankha
13. Ratna.
9. Attire :
1. Upper garment
2. Lower garment.
10. Ornaments :
1. Head-dress
2. Ear-ornaments
3. Necklace
4. Girdle
5. Armlets
6. Wristlets
7. Anklets
11. Chronology of the images
12. Notes and references
13. Chronology of the images
14. Notes and references.
8. Avalokitesvara in Campa :
1. Buddhism in Campa
2. Avalokitesvara in Cam Buddhism
3. Images of Avalokitesvara in Campa : Iconographical and stylistic analysis :
1. Physical data.
2. The variety of forms:
1. Two-armed form
2. Four-armed form
3. Eight-armed form.
3. Postures :
1. Standing postures.
2. Sitting posture.
4. Mudra :
1. Varamudra (?).
5. Attributes :
1. Padma.
2. Kamandalu.
3. Aksamala.
4. Pustaka.
6. Attire :
1. Upper garment.
2. Lower garment.
7. Ornaments :
1. Head-dress.
2. Ear-ornaments
3. Necklace
4. Upavita
5. Udarabandha
6. Girdle
7. Armlets
8. Wristlets
9. Anklets
8. Chronology of the images.
4. Notes and references
9. Appendix : Avalokitesvara ‘Luck of Yunnan’
10. Notes and references
11. Conclusion
12. Charts of Mudras and attributes of Avalokitesvara images
13. Bibliography
14. Index.