Narrative Visions and Visual Narratives in Indian Buddhism

Naomi Appleton is Senior Lecturer in Asian Religions at the University of Edinburgh. Her primary research interest is the role of narrative in the construction, communication and challenge of religious ideas in early India, and she has published extensively on this area, including Jātaka Stories in Theravāda Buddhism (Ashgate 2010), Narrating Karma and Rebirth (CUP 2014), Shared Characters in Jain, Buddhist and Hindu Narrative (Routledge 2017), as well as translations of Buddhist narrative and numerous articles on related themes.

• Preface 1. Setting the Scene: Verbal and Visual Narrative in Indian Buddhism Naomi Appleton PART I: VISUAL NARRATIVES 2. Rethinking Chronology and Narrative Modes: The Case of Sanchi Stūpa 2 Flavia Zaghet 3. The Power of Image and Imagery: Visualising the Divine and the Human in the Painted Narratives of Ajanta Madhulika Reddy, University of Mumbai 4. Visualizing a Teaching: Sermon Scenes in Kucha Monika Zin, Leipzig University PART II: NARRATIVE NETWORKS 5. Localizing Narrative through Image: The Nun Utpalavarṇāin a Stone Relief from Kaushambi Sonya Rhie Mace, Clevelenad Museum of Art 6. Beyond Textual and Visual "Versions": The Story Cluster of the Six-Tusked Elephant Bodhisattva Naomi Appleton and Chris Clark 7. Interpretations and (Mis)understandings: Three Case Studies of Illustrations of the Buddha's Lifestory John S. Strong, Bates College, Maine PART III: NARRATIVE VISIONS 8. The Buddha as Spiritual Sovereign: Narrative Figurations of Knowledge and Power David Fiordalis, Linfield University, Oregon 9. Seeing the Dharma: Narrative Darśan in the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Natalie Gummer, Beloit College, Wisconsin 10. Making Senses of the Story: Narrative, Art and Affect in Ancient India Jonathan Walters, Whitman College, Washington