Author Description

Some 2,500 years old, Buddhism is based on the teachings of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, who, after achieving enlightenment, began teaching others that they could transcend suffering through self-realization. The Buddha's teachings spread from his native India throughout Asia, each culture adding its unique imprint. Itinerant monks used Buddhist devotional paintings on cloth (thangkas) as teaching aids; these paintings evolved into religious objects produced according to strict rules of ritual and iconography. The twelve images in this calendar are reproductions of thangkas and hanging scrolls from Bhutan, China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and Tibet. Published with the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Size: 12 x 13 in.; opens to 12 x 26 in. Printed on FSC certified paper with soy-based ink.