Precious Treasures from the Diamond Throne: Finds from the Site of the Buddha’s Enlightenment 228

The Mahābodhi temple at Bodhgayā in eastern India has long been recognised as the place where the Buddha sat in meditation and attained enlightenment. The site, soon identified as the ‘Diamond Throne’ or vajrāsana, became a destination for pilgrims and a focus of religious attention for more than two thousand years. This volume presents new research on Bodhgayā and assesses the important archaeological, artistic and literary evidence that bears witness to the Buddha’s enlightenment and to the enduring significance of Bodhgayā in the history of Buddhism. The book brings together a team of international scholars to look at the history and perception of the site across the Buddhist world and its position in the networks of patronage and complex religious landscape of northern India. The volume assesses the site’s decline in the thirteenth century, as well as its subsequent revival as a result of archaeological excavations in the nineteenth century. Using the British Museum’s collections as a base, the authors discuss the rich material culture excavated from the site that highlights Bodhgayā’s importance in the field of Buddhist studies. The Mahbodhi temple at Bodhgay in eastern India has long been recognized as the place where the Buddha sat in meditation and attained enlightenment. The site, soon identified as the Diamond Throne or vajrsana , became a destination for pilgrims and a focus of religious attention for more than two thousand years. This volume presents new research on Bodhgay and assesses the important archaeological, artistic and literary evidence that bears witness to the Buddhas enlightenment and to the enduring significance of Bodhgay in the history of Buddhism. The book brings together a team of international scholars to look at the history and perception of the site across the Buddhist world and its position in the networks of patronage and complex religious landscape of northern India. The volume assesses the sites decline in the thirteenth century, as well as its subsequent revival as a result of archaeological excavations in the nineteenth century. Using the British Museums collections as a base, the authors discuss the rich material culture excavated from the site that highlights Bodhgays importance in the field of Buddhist studies. Table of Contents Introduction Michael Willis, Sam van Schaik, John Clarke 1. The Mahbodhi Temple Before its Restoration (J. P. Losty) 2. The Where the Buddha Sat (Daniela De Simone, Dniel Balogh, Sven Bretfield) 3. Phpati Custodians of the Diamond Throne (Dniel Balogh) 4. Early Burmese Inscriptions from Bodhgaya (Tilman Frasch) 5. The Internalisation of the Vajrsana (Sam van Schaik) 6. Tibetan Inscriptions in the British Museum Archive (Tsering Gonkatsang, Michael Willis) 7. Buddhist Sealings and the ye dharm Stanza (Peter Skilling) 8. Dhra Seals in the Cunningham Collection (Gergely Hidas) 9. A Terracotta Plaque with an Old Mon Inscription (Marc Miyake, Tilman Frasch, Michael Willis) 10. Five Terracotta Plaques with Figurative Imagery (Serena Biondo) 11. The Mahbodhi Plaque of the Goddess Mrc (Jinah Kim, Kashinath Tamot, Sushma Jansari) 12. From Bodhgay to Berlin (Claudine Bautze-Picron) 13. Numismatic Finds at Bodhgay (Robert Bracey) 14. Deposits at Bodhgay: Objects, Materials, Analysis (Michael Willis, Joanna Whalley, Beatriz Cifuentes, Robert Bracey) 15. Chinese Inscriptions from Bodhgay (Michael Willis, Serena Biondo) 16. Materials of Plaques 1887,0717.146-147 (Marei Hacke) Introduction Michael Willis, Sam van Schaik, John Clarke 1. The Mahābodhi Temple Before its Restoration (J. P. Losty) 2. The Āsana: Where the Buddha Sat (Daniela De Simone, Dániel Balogh, Sven Bretfield) 3. Pīṭhīpati Puzzles: Custodians of the Diamond Throne (Dániel Balogh) 4. Early Burmese Inscriptions from Bodhgaya (Tilman Frasch) 5. The Internalisation of the Vajrāsana (Sam van Schaik) 6. Tibetan Inscriptions in the British Museum Archive (Tsering Gonkatsang, Michael Willis) 7. Buddhist Sealings and the ye dharmā Stanza (Peter Skilling) 8. Dhāraṇī Seals in the Cunningham Collection (Gergely Hidas) 9. A Terracotta Plaque with an Old Mon Inscription (Marc Miyake, Tilman Frasch, Michael Willis) 10. Five Terracotta Plaques with Figurative Imagery (Serena Biondo) 11. The Mahābodhi Plaque of the Goddess Mārīcī (Jinah Kim, Kashinath Tamot, Sushma Jansari) 12. From Bodhgayā to Berlin (Claudine Bautze-Picron) 13. Numismatic Finds at Bodhgayā (Robert Bracey) 14. Deposits at Bodhgayā: Objects, Materials, Analysis (Michael Willis, Joanna Whalley, Beatriz Cifuentes, Robert Bracey) 15. Chinese Inscriptions from Bodhgayā (Michael Willis, Serena Biondo) 16. Materials of Plaques 1887,0717.146-147 (Marei Hacke) The Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya in eastern India has long been recognised as the place where the Buddha sat in meditation and attained enlightenment. The site, soon identified as the 'Diamond Throne' or vajrasana, became a destination for pilgrims and a focus of religious attention for more than two thousand years. This volume presents new research on Bodhgaya and assesses the important archaeological, artistic and literary evidence that bears witness to the Buddha's enlightenment and to the enduring significance of Bodhgaya in the history of Buddhism. The book brings together a team of international scholars to look at the history and perception of the site across the Buddhist world and its position in the networks of patronage and complex religious landscape of northern India. The volume assesses the site's decline in the thirteenth century, as well as its subsequent revival as a result of archaeological excavations in the nineteenth century. Using the British Museum's collections as a base, the authors discuss the rich material culture excavated from the site that highlights Bodhgaya's importance in the field of Buddhist studies The Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya in eastern India has long been recognised as the place where the Buddha sat in meditation and attained enlightenment. The site, soon identified as the 'Diamond Throne' or vajrasana, became a destination for pilgrims and a focus of religious attention for more than two thousand years.0This volume presents new research on Bodhgaya and assesses the important archaeological, artistic and literary evidence that bears witness to the Buddha's enlightenment and to the enduring significance of Bodhgaya in the history of Buddhism. The book brings together a team of international scholars to look at the history and perception of the site across the Buddhist world and its position in the networks of patronage and complex religious landscape of northern India. The volume assesses the site's decline in the thirteenth century, as well as its subsequent revival as a result of archaeological excavations in the nineteenth century. Using the British Museum's collections as a base, the authors discuss the rich material culture excavated from the site that highlights Bodhgaya's importance in the field of Buddhist studies