There are twenty-two bas-reliefs made by sculptor Shi Jinhui (施金輝) set in the walls lining the walkways on either side of the Bodhi Wisdom Concourse at Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum. Each depicts a story from the Buddha’s life, including the stories of Nidhi and Sronakotivimsa. They tell the stories of how the Buddha went out among the people and applied his wise and compassionate mind to transform society at every level.

For this series of bas-reliefs, Mr. Shi did not limit himself to Eastern or Western styles of art, but rather focused on depicting the essence of the Buddhist stories: their loving-kindness, their compassion, their joy, and their equanimity. When the bas-reliefs are viewed as a whole, one can see that he has adapted to the unique style of the Buddha Museum and has thus blended many diverse cultures.

Observed in detail, one can see that he attempted to travel back twenty-six hundred years, to the time of the Buddha. By bringing himself into the Buddha’s life, Shi could see through the eyes of the people in the painting, see the Buddha’s appearance, hear the Buddha’s voice, and realize the Buddha’s teachings first-hand. He would often wake in the middle of the night, struck with a flash of inspiration that had manifested in a dream. He would immediately jump out of bed to make a draft, recounting the scene as if he had experienced it himself, employing the most suitable composition, line, and image.

For more information on stories of the Buddha’s Past Lives (Jataka Tales), please visit, https://jataka.foguangpedia.org