Module 10- Blog review...

We had to choose two videos in which to watch and relate to the readings from this week. The first video that I had chosen was the video titled "Buddhism." Buddha encouraged his followers to find their own way and he had provided mentors and supporters to follow them and encourage them along the way. Buddha believed in the eight-fold path. This is considered " the path to nirvana, comprising eight aspects in which an aspirant must become practiced: right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration." Most art in the Buddhism world is made my architects and are sculptures or art galleries carved into stone. They carvings tell the story and life of the Buddha without portraying him as an actual human-being. The lotus flower is actually the sacred flower of Buddha and the largest Buddhist temple was built in the shape of a lotus flower. There is actually a monastery located in Carmel in upstate New York. That isn't that far from where we are and where we live our lives everyday. 

The second video I had chosen to watch was the one that focused on Hinduism and it's impact on art as well. Hindus belief that live is for billions of years which consists of life, death, and rebirth. Unlike the Christian religion they don't believe that life will eventually end. Hindus perform many religious sacrifices and ceremonies that are actually considered a form of art because of the beauty that they put into the ceremonies. They are extremely intricate. They have the ability to practice anywhere and don't just focus on practice within a temple. But, Hindus are encouraged to practice their religion where ever. They have temples that are small but contain beautiful intricate carvings that are dedicated to one of their many spirits. It was interesting to learn that a devote Hindu isn't allowed to touch a dead body. That was intriguing to me because they cremate that their people, so they have to be able to touch it somehow. If a devote Hindu can't touch the body, how do they burn the body? Either way the burning body creates a symbolism to the people, that the spirit is being released and that person will be reborn again within someone else's body. 

These videos relate to the text because of the short blurbs that are talked about in the chapters about the different religions. Beginning on page 428, the text begins to talk about Buddhism and how beginning back in 800 B.C.E many began to preach social equality and a more direct and personal access to the spiritual realm. This is how Buddhism was born. That is why I chose this particular video. I shows actual moving emphasis of what the book talks about. An example would be on page 429, the book talks about the reliefs of Sanchi which tells the story of Buddha which is then talked about in the video and the beautiful, extravagant architecture is shown. The text begins to talk about Hinduism on page 432 and it's artistic culture. It originates out of India and eventually replaced Buddhism as the religions virtually disappeared from his birth place. The text then talks about the temples themselves and how the form of the temple itself has representation. For example, from the text they talked about the central temple complex at Angikor Wat in Cambodia and how the exterior represents the energies of the god radiating out into the world. 

The two videos I chose were the two that had to focus on the aspects of religion and how they viewed art. These two religious belief systems have had a huge impact on society and it is amazing to see the sculptures that still stand today that were created a long time ago. I loved this aspect that was brought forth in these videos. They really gave you the perspective that isn't mentioned in the book. Unfortunately, the book doesn't go into whole lot of depth about art within these religions. I am a semi-religious person and this concept has always entertained my thought. I really liked these videos (not only because of the shortness) but I liked them because they helped emphasis what the book was getting across. The book doesn't go a whole lot in depth about these religions and the individual videos go in depth and gave me the idea of what was actually being presented.