Narrative Visions and Visual Narratives in Indian Buddhism

This volume explores the interaction between text and image in Indian Buddhist contexts, including not only the complex relationship between verbal stories and visual representations at Indian sites, but also the ways in which visual imagery is used within textual narratives. The chapters are authored by a mixture of textual scholars and art historians, bringing together different disciplinary perspectives in order to seek a richer understanding of how text and art relate, and of the role of narrative imagery in different media and contexts. The book opens with an introduction that explores what narratives and visual narratives are, and why we might want to study narrative images alongside imagery-rich literary narratives. The volume is then divided into three parts. The chapters in Part I: Visual Narratives (Zaghet, Reddy, Zin) explore visual depictions of stories in their own right; those in Part II: Narrative Networks (Mace, Appleton & Clark, Strong) seek to understand the relationship between specific visual and verbal narratives; and those in Part III: Narrative Visions (Gummer, Fiordalis, Walters) primarily investigate how visual imagery and visualisation work in textual narratives. The volume seeks to bridge the divide that traditionally exists between textual scholars and art historians, and to challenge the contributors to think beyond the usual boundaries of our work.

Table of Contents:
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