TREASURES OF THE BUDDHA

The greatest art and monuments of Asian Buddhism, portrayed in more than 160 superb color photographs--including exquisite devotional paintings and manuscript illuminations, colossal statues and sculptures, ornate mandalas, intricate metalwork, and fabulous monasteries and temples. Get unprecedented views of the great Buddhist sites--including the astonishing Indian caves of Ajanta and Ellora, the glittering monuments of the Sukhotai rulers in Thailand, and the stone-carved microcosm of the universe at Angkor, one-time heart of the Khmer empire. Visit the holy places of one of the world's oldest faiths (and its fastest-growing)--from the extraordinary temple-mountain of Borobudur in Java to the transcendent simplicity of a Zen garden Trace the growth of different schools of Buddhism and explore the diversity of Buddhist art and practices in cultures across Asia. Take a close look at stunning examples of superb craftsmanship, with insightful commentary on the symbols they depict and the beliefs they express.