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Period11th(Term; from Oct. 2020)
グローバル型 -
Research InterestsHistory of Gandharan Art
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Research TopicOrigin and Making of Pure Land Buddhist Art
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Host DepartmentGraduate School of Letters
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Previous AffiliationTakarazuka University
Pure Land Buddhism that prevailed in China and Japan, is the most outstanding school of Mahayana Buddhism. According to recent researchers, it originated around first century AD in Gandhara located in the north-west of Pakistan then ruled by the Kushans. This Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism led to generate several celestial worlds: Western Pure Land of Amida-Buddha, Eastern Pure Land of Akṣobhya Buddha and Pure Land of Maitreya-Buddha. Although the art of Pure Land Buddhism has been extensively studied by many scholars, but the origin and the earliest phase of this art still remain to be clarified. Therefore, these matters appear to be solved urgently. Until now I have been engaged in studying Indian art of Hinaya Buddhism focusing on the afterlife of the Gandharan Buddhism and its artistic features. However, as my study for this project, I decided to take up Gandharan art of Pure Land Buddhism, and attempt to clarify its origin and development, making good use of my research achievement. I will focus especially on transformation from the art of rebirth in Realms of Desire to that in Pure Land.