Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who are destined to become buddhas but postpone that final state in order to help humanity. The name Avalokiteshvara means "Lord who looks down with compassion." View an image of a bodhisattva...
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Khan Academy: Hinduism and the Practice of Faith
Religion pervades many aspects of Hindu life and assumes many forms. Read about Hindu practices in this short essay and view a piece of artwork depicting a woman worshipping at an outdoor shrine.
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Khan Academy: Hindu Deity Vishnu
This stone stele depicts the Hindu god Vishnu - the god of Preservation. View a picture and read descriptive details in this essay.
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Khan Academy: Hindu Deity Durga Victorious Over the Buffalo Demon
View an image of a sculpture portraying the goddess Durga and read her story in this essay.
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Khan Academy: Brahmani
The goddess portrayed in this sculpture is the female version of Brahma. View a picture and read a short description in this essay.
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Khan Academy: The Main Branches of Buddhism
Over the centuries, two main branches of Buddhism emerged: Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Read a description of each of these forms of Buddhism.
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Khan Academy: Development of the Buddha Image
There is significant debate concerning the development of the Buddha image-where it first occurred, why, and when. This article traces the history of the Buddha image through two centers of artistic production: Gandhara and Mathura.
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Khan Academy: Conception of the Buddha to Be in Queen Maya's Dream
View an example of a frieze that would have decorated the wall of a Buddhist monument or monastic building. These images told a story to worshipers, essentially reminding them of key moments in the life of the Buddha. This frieze shows...
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Khan Academy: Buddhist Monasteries
The monastery typically becomes the spiritual focus of the nearest town or village. In early Buddhism, monastic complexes were created for the monks close enough to a town in order to receive alms or charity from the villagers, but far...
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Khan Academy: The Buddha Triumphing Over Mara
This is an image of the historical Buddha. View a picture of this statue and read the history in this essay.
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Khan Academy: The Buddha Shakyamuni
This is the traditional representation of the Shakyamuni Buddha or the historical Buddha. The statue shows the moment of his enlightenment at a place called Bodh Gaya in India. View a picture of the statue and read the background in this...
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Khan Academy: Jatakas: The Many Lives of Buddha as Bodhisattva
Jatakas reached the laity and monks through art, which proved to be a powerful tool in communicating Buddhist tenets and philosophy to a wide public. View examples of their art and read about their famous tales including the Great Monkey...
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Khan Academy: Images of Enlightenment: Aniconic vs Iconic Depictions of Buddha
Some of the earliest depictions of the Buddha reaching enlightenment appear as sculptural friezes on the exterior of sacred Buddhist monuments known as stupas. View pictures of these friezes and read the history of Prince Siddhartha in...
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Khan Academy: How to Identify a Buddha
Buddha images vary greatly from place to place and period to period. This article identifies common features that most Buddha images share.