The female as cult object in Buddhism

Tara, guilded bronze image

Tara (goddess)

Bronze sculpture--British Museum

The major religious influence in Sri Lanka was Theravada Buddhism which provided no scope for any being other than the Buddha to be worshipped as cult object. However, the country did feel the impact of the Mahayana and Tantrayana forms of Buddhism where Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and their female elements or saktis and consorts were worshipped. It is in the context of these two systems that one finds the elevation of the female as cult object within Buddhist ideology, and the visual expression of that concept in art. Whether as the consort of a Bodhisattva or as Bodhisattva herself, the goddess in Mahayana worship is known as Tara. The best illustration of this goddess in Sri Lankan art is the well-known guilded bronze image, now in the British Museum. Art historians have suggested dates between the 8th and 10th centuries A.D., a period during which Mahayana and Tantrayana forms of Buddhism were felt in Sri Lanka.

Sirima Kiribamune

The British Museum

ca. 8th-10th century A.D.

Period of study: 1986-1987

Version: 01/12/2012

Co-Author: Seneviratna, Harsha

Technical Officer: Wijesinghe, Lalith

Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini

Photographer: Madanayake, I.S.

International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo

All rights reserved by International Center for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka.

Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection

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