Detail of a wall painting of the Life of the Buddha, showing Prince Siddartha encountering old age, sickness, death, and an ascetic spiritual seeker, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Buddhist sacred texts and a roll of Sai-Sin (sacred thread), Life of Siddhartha Gautama, the Supreme Buddha, Geneva, Switzerland, Europe

The Life of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, mural showing a visit to Rajagaha City, where the Buddha went for alms, Chau Doc, An Giang, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Pitu Khosa Rangsay Buddhist pagoda, painting of the Life of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, Can Tho, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Fresco depicting Buddha meditating under a tree in a scene of the Buddha's life in Wat Phra Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Thangka depicting White Tara goddess, Buddhist symbol of long life, Bhaktapur, Nepal, Asia

Fresco depicting Buddha as a child in a scene of the Buddha's life in Wat Phra Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Mural depicting Life of the Buddha, Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Detail of mural depicting Life of the Buddha, Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Door protected by lions at the Life Guard Club in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong, China, Asia

Thangka depicting White Tara goddess, Buddhist symbol of long life, Bhaktapur, Nepal, Asia

Painting a thangka depicting White Tara goddess, Buddhist symbol of long life, Bhaktapur, Nepal, Asia

Wall painting depicting scenes from the Life of the Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Bas-relief of life of Buddha, Borobudur, 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple, UNESCO, Java, Indonesia

One of Eighteen Arhats of Mahayana Buddhism await return of Buddha as Maitreya, Long Quang Pagoda, An Giang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Thien Truc Buddhist pagoda, Life of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), preaching first sermon to monks in Deer Park in Varanasi, Bac Lieu, Vietnam

The Red Chapel (Haw Tai Pha Sai-Nyaat) (Chapel of the Reclining Buddha), Buddhist temple of Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang, Laos

Teaching of the Buddha, Life of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, Mongkol Serei Kien Khleang Pagoda, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Mural showing scenes from the life of the Buddha, Takeo, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Life of Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, Reclining Buddha, passing into Parinirvana after 45 years of teaching the Dharma, Long Duc Buddhist temple, Tan Chau, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Tinh Xa Ngoc Chau pagoda, Life of Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, Reclining Buddha, passing into Parinirvana after 45 years of teaching the Dharma, Chau Doc, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Tinh Xa Ngoc Chau pagoda, Life of Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, Prince Siddhartha cutting off hair to renounce worldly life on the bank of the Anoma River, Chau Doc, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Buddhist monks in front of seated Buddha in Vatadage building, The Quadrangle, ancient city of Polonnaruwa, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sri Lanka, Asia

Depiction of the story of the Buddha distracting murderer Angulimala from killing his own mother and 100th murder victim, in the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

After 45 years of teaching the Dharma, the Buddha passed into Parinirvana, scene from the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Siddartha Gautama's mother dreaming of a white elephant presenting her with a lotus flower, before the Buddha's birth, depited in the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Temptation and Enlightenment depicted in the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

The Gesture of Debate explaining the Buddhas teachings (Vitaka Mudra), depicting the ministry in the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Scene from the life of the Buddha, Vientiane, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

The Buddha taming an elephant, depicted in the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

After 45 years of teaching the Dharma, the Buddha passed into Parinirvana, scene from the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

The occasion when 1250 monks gathered spontaneously to hear the Buddha's teaching, depicted in the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Scene from the life of the Buddha, Vientiane, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Prince Siddhartha escapes his palace, accompanied by Channa aboard his horse Kanthaka, scene from the life of the Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

The Buddha teaching depicted in the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Meditation posture depicted in Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Scene from the life of the Buddha, Vientiane, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

The Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Dharma chakra, jhokang roof, lhasa. Buddha shakyamuni considered a cultivated awareness of death impermanence to be fundamental to a happy healthy life. Tibet

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddhas enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Monks offer butter lamps. Kalachakra initiation, bodhgaya. India. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddhas enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Monks offer butter lamps prayer, kalachakra initiation, bodhgaya. India. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Budhist lamas in prayer, bodhgaya, india. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

India. Lotus. When finally your life forces disintegrate, watch elements of body dissolve, then, like remeeting an friend, eagerly greet clear light of death.,seventh dalai lama, advice to an abboto

India. As buddha it in verse in dharmapada, component things impermanent. When acquires realization of this truth naturally releases bonds of unhappiness. This is of purification freedom

Dancing skeletons, lord of charnal grounds remind us of inevitable passage into death

Mural depicting the life of the Buddha, Wat Haripunchai, Lamphun, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Larger than life sized Buddha statue inside the Isurumunjya temple, Isurumuni Maha Vihara, Sacred City, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, Asia

Seat-figures of the Dhyani Buddha Akshobhya, temple Swayambhunath, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia