Maya, the mother of the Buddha, in the Japanese tradition

Japanese art counts many illustrations of the life and death of Maya (“illusion”), the mother of the Buddha, which are very faithful to the Indian tradition. However, in one respect Japanese Buddhists chose an original path: even though Maya is generally not venerated by Buddhists, a temple devoted to the worship of Buddha’s mother was discovered on a mountain near Kobe. In this temple, a statue of Maya and inscriptions reveal that she was venerated there as a universal mother.

Related Information

  • Author(s):
    Bernard Frank
    Era:
    6th century BC to 14th century AD
    Language of article:
    English
    Source:

    Buddhist Route Expedition. International Seminar for UNESCO Integral Study of the Silk Roads: Roads of Dialogue. 21-30 September 1995. Kathmandu, Nepal.

    Format:
    PDF
    Countries:
    India, Japan, Nepal

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