Shotorak monastery

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Shotorak
Afghanistan, bodhisattva meditante, regione di kapiça, monastero di shotorak, II-III sec..JPG
Meditating Buddha, Shotorak, 2-3rd century CE.
Shotorak monastery is located in South Asia
Shotorak monastery
Shown within South Asia
Coordinates34°55′51″N 69°25′59″E / 34.930701°N 69.432950°E / 34.930701; 69.432950Coordinates: 34°55′51″N 69°25′59″E / 34.930701°N 69.432950°E / 34.930701; 69.432950
TypeMonastery
Maitreya's paradise, Shotorak, 2-3rd century CE.

Shotorak monastery, at Kuh-i Pahlawan, Kapisa Province, is an ancient monastery located in modern Afghanistan. It was positioned together with Paitava monastery around the city of Kapisa, 40 km north of Kabul, which was the northern capital of the Kushan Empire. Beautiful sculptures of Buddhist donors in Kushan dress are known from this site.[1]

Paitava, with Shorotak, have an artistic usage of representing the Buddha with fire emanating from the shoulders in the miracle of Sravasti, a feature also found on the effigies of Kushan kings on their coinage.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ Behrendt, Kurt; Brancaccio, Pia (2011). Gandharan Buddhism: Archaeology, Art, and Texts. UBC Press. p. 11. ISBN 9780774841283.
  2. ^ Rosenfield, John M. (1967). The dynastic arts of the Kushans. University of California Press. p. 200.
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