“Denise Leidy’s book offers a lucid pilgrimage through of the art of Buddhist enlightenment, from the vivacious, dawn-fresh sculptural traditions of ancient India up to the threshhold of the globalist twentieth century. The language is clear; the information dense and rich; the art beyond compare. Student, scholar, and devotee alike have much to learn from this fine scholar.”—Holland Cotter, Art Critic, New York Times

“A sumptuous survey of Buddhist art from all over Asia. Denise Leidy deploys her encyclopedic knowledge to bring the art vividly to life, and her choices of objects are utterly superb. This volume is a must for any lover of the classical Asian art of enlightenment.”—Robert Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism,Columbia University; founder of Tibet House, U.S.; and author of Infinite Life 

“A work of sustained scholarship from a distinguished art historian whose command of Buddhist art, coupled with her keen eye for its iconographic and aesthetic traditions, has made accessible to readers—for the first time in decades—a body of knowledge that will form the core of any informed understanding of Buddhist culture and traditions from a global perspective. This book is destined to become a classic.”—Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan, Professor of History of Art, Yale University

As its teachings spread from the Indian subcontinent in all directions across Asia, Buddhism influenced every culture it touched—from Afghanistan to Korea, from Mongolia to Java. Buddhist art is a radiant reflection of the encounter of the Buddha’s teachings with the diverse civilizations that came under their sway. It is also an intriguing visual record of the evolution of Buddhist practice and philosophy over a period of more than two millennia.

More than two hundred photographs provide the visual context for this tour of the world of Buddhist art. Included in the rich variety of forms are architecture and monumental art, statuary, paintings, calligraphy, fresco, brushwork, and textile arts. Denise Leidy’s guide is the perfect introductory text for all those intrigued by this splendid aesthetic tradition. It also an essential resource for all who seek to understand Buddhist art as teaching.