Arguably the most important symbol in Buddhism, the lotus not only represents spiritual purity, but also serves as a reminder that all beings are capable
The 5th/6th century Buddhist monk Bodhidharma is considered the founder and patriarch of meditational Buddhism, known as dhyana in Sanskrit, Chan in Chinese, and Zen in Japanese. Although he was revered
The Sanskrit word “mandala” literally means a sacred center (la) that has been set apart or adorned (mand). In theory, therefore, a mandala can take
On 5 October 2012 we had a house fire. My husband, our then-7-year-old son, and I were out of town when we got the call.
A mixed-media work on paper depicting a jet-black raven emerging from a bold black splash of ink poetically and powerfully exemplifies the work of Los
In Japanese temples or along the sides of roads, small stone statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo are a common sight. According to Japanese Buddhist
In Japan during the Edo period (1600–1868), many people traveled on foot between the military capital, Edo (modern Tokyo), and the ancient imperial capital, Kyoto.
One of the most visited sites in Kyoto, by Japanese tourists as well as by foreigners, is the temple Ryoan-ji in the northwestern part of
The Buddhist deity Kshitigarbha, or “He who encompasses the Earth,” has a powerful and ubiquitous presence in Japan, where figures of him depicted as a
Origami has evolved over the last few decades from a Japanese paper craft practiced mostly by children into an international pastime and a sophisticated form
Of all the artists I have known personally over the years who have featured Buddhist subjects and concepts in their work, photographer Alan McArthur most
There is a painting in the Freer Gallery of Art’s current exhibition, Zen, Tea, and Chinese Art in Medieval Japan, that beautifully symbolizes the remarkable cultural
