Tab Article

Genre: Buddhist Art History, Religious Studies, Archaeology, Asian History, Non-fiction

Book Review :
Kanoko Tanaka's Absence of the Buddha Image in Early Buddhist Art is a significant scholarly contribution to the understanding of early Buddhist visual culture. This book tackles a fascinating and long-debated question in the field: why, for the first several centuries of Buddhist art (from roughly the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE), was the Buddha never depicted in human form? Instead, his presence was indicated through symbols such as the Bodhi tree (representing his enlightenment), the Dharmachakra (the wheel of law, representing his teachings), an empty throne, or footprints. Tanaka delves deeply into this ''aniconic'' period, exploring the religious, philosophical, and cultural reasons behind this deliberate avoidance of anthropomorphic representation. She examines early Buddhist texts, archaeological findings from sites like Bharhut and Sanchi, and compares this practice with similar tendencies in other religious traditions. The book argues that this absence was not a lack of skill but a profound theological choice, reflecting early Buddhist attitudes towards the nature of the Buddha after his parinirvana. It is an essential resource for students and scholars of Buddhist art, history, and comparative religion.