Significance of the Śrāvastī Miracles According to Buddhist Texts and Dvāravatī Artefacts

Bibliographic Data

ID4313974
AuthorsNatchapol Sirisawad (0000-0002-4780-9363, Chulalongkorn University, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume13
Issue12
Pages1201
Publication date2022-12-09
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel13121201
OpenAlexW4311135400
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited9

The story of the Śrāvastī miracles is one episode of the Buddha's biography that is depicted in the art forms of Dvāravatī from about the 7th to the 11th centuries CE. The fact that many artefacts were produced-in such variety, over such a long period, and at so many sites-shows the popularity of the scene of the Śrāvastī miracles in the Dvāravatī culture. The objective of this research paper is to analyze the significance of the story of the Śrāvastī miracles that affected the creation of Dvāravatī art in Thailand by examining the textual sources together with the Dvāravatī artefacts. The analysis shows that the stories of the Śrāvastī miracles were significant in various ways, being one of the Buddha's necessary deeds, a principal miracle only performed by the Buddha, a means of converting others to Buddhism, and a key source for the idea of making Buddha images as an act of merit. These significant features may explain the popularity of the Śrāvastī miracle theme in Dvāravatī culture

Art · Art history · Bodhisattva · Buddhism · Gautama Buddha · Literature · Miracle · Political science · Popularity · Theology · World Wide Web · Asian Studies and History · Computer Science · History · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Law · Philosophy · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies

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