Theravāda Buddhism

This thought-provoking display charted the history and influence of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition across the world, including its role in Scotland today.

The Theravāda tradition is one of the oldest forms of Buddhism. As one of the two main branches of the faith, it remains strong in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. 

The display included a Buddha on loan from The Dhammapadipa Temple in Edinburgh. The Buddha was designed and made in Thailand in 2013, then later gifted to Temple where it is now used in their garden meditation room. The image takes inspiration from the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat (Great Victorious Buddha), one of the most revered Buddha images in Thailand.

Alongside the loan were 40 objects from the South and Southeast Asian collection, dating from the 2nd century AD to the present day. Objects included amulets, relics, statues, and votive offerings, all of which were and are used by Buddhists in their everyday religious practice. 

A set of 19th century spinning gongs from Myanmar were also on display. Audio recordings of the gongs provided visitors with a sensory experience, representative of the sound of visiting a temple. The gongs are played by Ewan Millar, percussion student at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.