The Lives of the Buddha in the Art and Literature of Asia

The book is divided into two principal parts. Part One, “The Jātakas,” studies representative previous-birth stories of the Buddha. It begins with animal fable Jātakas, including the Kukkuta-Biḍāla, Kacchapa, and Sīhacamma stories, then moves to heroic adventure narratives such as the Vidhurapaṇḍita Jātaka, renunciation narratives such as the Makhādeva Jātaka, and stories of heroic or holy animals such as the Mahākapi and Ruru Jātakas. The final section of Part One examines narratives of extreme generosity and self-sacrifice, including the Ṣaḍdanta, Śibi, Vyāghrī/Mahāsattva, and Viśvantara Jātakas. Part Two, “The Life of the Buddha,” presents the major episodes of Siddhārtha Gautama’s final incarnation: descent from Tuṣita Heaven, the dream of Māyā and conception, birth and seven steps, Asita’s prophecy, the young prince’s life, the Four Encounters, the Great Departure, austerities, temptation by Māra, enlightenment, the Mucalinda episode, the First Sermon, the Twin Miracle, return to Kapilavastu, donation of the first monastery at Jetavana, and the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. Throughout, the study correlates literary excerpts with plates and visual examples from Asian Buddhist art.