Professor Eugene Wang presented his lecture “What to See in a Buddhist Cave?” to around 40 people at the C. K. Choi Building on November 30, 2011.
Professor Wang began with a summary of the Dunhuang Caves, which are famous for their distinctive Buddhist murals and sculptures. Each cave had a specific layout inviting the visitor into a Buddhist “world”–complete with a central column, statues of buddhas, and murals on the walls and ceiling. Murals often portrayed the previous lives of the Buddha (Jataka tales) and the final moments of the Buddha’s life. Used to illustrate the operation of karma, some portrayed beings emerging from Buddhist hells and predictions of their future births. Prof. Wang concluded that the caves themselves guide the visualization practice of those who enter them: from awakening to the truth of karma and rebirth, to repenting evil acts from a myriad of previous lives, to finally becoming a buddha.
Lectures are free and open to the public. Seating will be on a first-come first-serve basis. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the lecture.










