Northern Frontiers of Buddhism

Benoy K Behl, an art historian, filmmaker, and photographer, is well-known for his prolific and tireless output over the past 34 year. Over 36,000 photos of Asian monuments and heritage have been taken by him. He also made 126 documentary films on art history. His exhibitions have been well received in 32 countries and he has been invited as a lecturer to most important museums and universities around the globe that have Asian art departments.
The spread of ideas across national borders, mountains and oceans is one of the most remarkable miracles of human history. Warm acceptance of ideas from faraway lands highlights the similarities in human nature and aspirations. One of the most notable examples of the spreading of philosophical and artistic ideas is Buddhism’s spread from India to many other countries in Asia. These ideas were spread without the use the sword. Buddhism is a powerful vision of the everlasting harmony of the universe. The message of compassion and the faith that it represented spread across the globe and helped to shape the culture of continents. Even in today’s materialistic world, this culture is one of gentleness and peace. The influence of Buddhism has been present in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and other parts Central Asia since the beginning of Buddhism. Both the Mahayana and Theravada orders traveled extensively in this region. In the Upanishads, in the 8th to 9th centuries BCE, the concept of samsara (of maya and mithya), the illusionary nature of the material world, was encapsulated. To be able see beyond the veil of illusion and to find the eternal truth was the highest purpose of life. People who could achieve this were called Buddhas, Enlightened Ones, Tirthankaras, or Victors over Fear of Death. Vajrayana Buddhism emerged from an intellectual search at the universities in Eastern India and Kashmir in the First Millennium CE. It is thought to possess the same clarity and indestructible nature as a diamond as well as the striking qualities of a thunderbolt. Its purpose is to liberate us from ignorance and dispel the veils. This form of Buddhism traveled to Tibet and Mongolia, Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Buryatia. This fully illustrated book examines how this vision of life and path was reflected in the cultures of Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand over the next two thousand year.