BUDDISM

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy founded by Siddhartha Gautama in northeast India during the period from the late 6th century to the early 4th century BC. Spreading from India to Central and Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan, Buddhism has played an influential role in the spiritual, cultural, and social life of much of the Eastern world. The Buddha, which means the "Enlightened One," died in northeastern India between 500 and 350 BC. According to tradition, …

…to nirvana. In countries of central Asia, the treatment of images is more complex. In Mahayana sanctuaries, the representations are of different buddhas, bodhisattvas, saints, and guardian deities derived from India. In China and Tibet these constitute a pantheon, the worship of which is practically polytheistic. In addition to temple design and decoration, Buddhism historically has stimulated creativity in other artistic areas; the traditions of poetry and painting associated with Zen Buddhism are notable examples.