Spiritual-Web

Tibetan Buddhist art started in the subcontinent of India with the intent of using art to document the life of Gautama Buddha in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. As the Buddhist religion spread throughout the Asia and the rest of the world, the prominence of Tibetan Buddhist art spread along with it. The earliest Buddhist art generally followed the practice of aniconic Indian traditions. This is the use of Buddhist symbols and iconography without any actual representation of the human figure involved. However, it was about the first century CE when an iconic art period came about and represented the Buddha in human appearance; a practice that continues to this day. As Buddhism spread and evolved in each new country or region, Buddhist art followed those adherents to the faith and developed throughout Asia if different ways.

Tibetan art is considered a form of consecrated art that reflects the influence of Buddhism, particularly that of Tibetan Buddhism, over other cultures in Asia and Himalayan kingdoms such as Nepal, Bhutan and Ladakh.

The Tibetan Buddhist art that was created before the mid twentieth century were dedicated to the depiction of sacred subjects and permeated with traditional technique. These works of Tibetan art not only detail the key concepts of philosophy and spirituality but also the energy of Tibetan art aesthetics in terms of the development of various schools of the Tibetan religion in different regions and countries. The Buddhist symbols used in the development of Buddhist art can be studied as variations of the influences that have contributed to Tibetan art over the past centuries.

Mahayana Buddhist influence came into being around the fourth century and emphasized its influence over those who wished to help others and forsake their own Nirvana. In the Tibetan art of the Mahayana influence, Chenrezig is the deity that is depicted most commonly as having a thousand arms and an eyeball in each hand.

Tantric Buddhism is another aspect of Tibetan Buddhist art; the diamond thunderbolt is the most common symbol in this influence. The art of the Tantric influence during this period is most heavily symbolized by fearsome looking deities with angry faces. These angry deities most often are representative of protectors who are devoted to tantric practices and education and the suppression of negativity.

The Bon influence as it is known in the Himalayas is a shamanistic religion that ads a host of local deities to Tibetan Buddhist art. These local deities are created as statues with the Buddha in Tibetan temples. The shamanistic gods have a history of being blamed for evil, but have since become defeated by Buddha and are forever in service to him.

A great variety of techniques are used in Buddhist meditation in order to achieve mindfulness, concentration and the promotion of well being. Ancient texts were set down by priests and other practitioners of Buddhism to preserve the core techniques that are passed between teachers and pupils.

As Tibetan Buddhist art flourished it had a great influence on the development of art in the Hindu religion. In the tenth century Buddhism nearly disappeared from India due to the brisk expansion of Islam along with Hinduism in India.