Narrative Visions and Visual Narratives in Indian Buddhism

Naomi Appleton is Senior Lecturer in Asian Religions at the University of Edinburgh. Her primary research interest is the role of narrative in the construction, communication and challenge of religious ideas in early India, and she has published extensively on this area, including Jātaka Stories in Theravāda Buddhism (Ashgate 2010), Narrating Karma and Rebirth (CUP 2014), Shared Characters in Jain, Buddhist and Hindu Narrative (Routledge 2017), as well as translations of Buddhist narrative and numerous articles on related themes.

Preface

1. Setting the Scene: Verbal and Visual Narrative in Indian Buddhism
Naomi Appleton

PART I: VISUAL NARRATIVES
2. Rethinking Chronology and Narrative Modes: The Case of Sanchi Stūpa 2
Flavia Zaghet

3. The Power of Image and Imagery: Visualising the Divine and the Human in the Painted Narratives of Ajanta
Madhulika Reddy, University of Mumbai

4. Visualizing a Teaching: Sermon Scenes in Kucha
Monika Zin, Leipzig University

PART II: NARRATIVE NETWORKS
5. Localizing Narrative through Image: The Nun Utpalavarṇā in a Stone Relief from Kaushambi
Sonya Rhie Mace, Clevelenad Museum of Art

6. Beyond Textual and Visual “Versions”: The Story Cluster of the Six-Tusked Elephant Bodhisattva
Naomi Appleton and Chris Clark

7. Interpretations and (Mis)understandings: Three Case Studies of Illustrations of the Buddha’s Lifestory
John S. Strong, Bates College, Maine

PART III: NARRATIVE VISIONS
8. The Buddha as Spiritual Sovereign: Narrative Figurations of Knowledge and Power
David Fiordalis, Linfield University, Oregon

9. Seeing the Dharma: Narrative Darśan in the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa
Natalie Gummer, Beloit College, Wisconsin

10. Making Senses of the Story: Narrative, Art and Affect in Ancient India
Jonathan Walters, Whitman College, Washington