Buddhist Art and Thought (An Old and Rare Book)

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The study in Buddhism and Buddhist art has been a much sought for theme for more than a century now and new discoveries and their interpretations made it further alluring. ead of Buddhism the researches Like the spread and writings on the subject assume the global interest. It is in this light that Prof. K.Κ. Mittal who has devoted a major part of his life in this field has presented before us this important volume, Buddhist Art and Thought. The book is an excellent collection of twenty essays penned by several renowned scholars on different aspects of Buddhism. It deals with Buddhist art, symbols and myths, iconography, complex and composite figures, wall and cave paintings, bronzes, literary canons, discussion on some dated sculptures, Buddhist vision and aesthetics, presentation of Buddhist art and a host of allied problems.

DR. KEWAL KRISHAN MITTAL, born at Barnala, (Punjab) on Dec. 25, 1931, is currently a Professor in the Department of Buddhist Studies, Delhi University (on extension, after retirement as Chairman on Dec. 24, 1991). He got his Ph.D. on the Role of Materialism in Indian Thought from Delhi University in 1967. He had been a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy since 1960, became Reader in the Department of Buddhist Studies in 1969, became Professor in 1983 and had been the Chairman of the Department for three terms of three years each. He has had academic visits to Bhutan, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand, U.K. and USA. Nationally and internationally known, Prof. Mittal is the life- member of Indian Philosophical Congress since 1963, of Akhil Bharatiya Darsana Parisad since 1965 and member of International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS) since 1979, of American Association of Philosophy (Eastern Division) and, American Academy of Religion since 1988. Published, Authored and/or Edited works by Prof. Mittal, include: Materialism in Indian Thought (1974); Quest For Truth (1976), Ethical Ideas of Mahatma Gandhi (1980); Nationalism And Humanism (1980); Perspectives of the Philosophy of Devatma (1983); A Tibetan Eye View of Indian Philosophy (1984); Karma and Rebirth (1990); Buddhist Perspective on The Religions And Philosophy of Life in India (1992); Sunyavāda The Madhyamik Thought (1992); and Vijñānavāda (Yogācāra) and its Traditions (1992).

I am honoured that Dr. Kewal Krishan Mittal of the Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Delhi, has requested me to write a Foreword for this important publication Buddhist Art and Thought. Despite my initial hesitancy and reluctance, and a sense of inadequacy, I agreed, after looking at the broad spectrum of subjects dealt with in this volume. Also, it was evident that despite the large and voluminous literature on Buddhism, the artistic dimension of Buddhist metaphysics philosophy along the two mainstreams of Theravāda and Mahāyāna with their distinct and interlocked archaeological, textual and epigraphical sources still leave scope for investigation.

The genesis and execution of accomplishing the task of editing the volume: Buddhist Art and Thought confirms my belief in the fact of life that 'truth is always stronger than fiction'. Never thought of things and events, even in one's wildest of dreams, may just come to pass and keenly desired, meticulously planned and assiduously worked for 'happenings' may never see the light of the day. Some such thing or event has taken place in this case.