Altar of Sant'Oronzo, Lecce Cathedral (Cathedral of Maria Santissima Assunta and Sant'Oronzo), Lecce, Salento, Apulia, Italy

The Sermon of Saint John the Baptist, 1685, Church of Gesu (Buon Consiglio), Museum of Sacred Art, Lecce, Salento, Apulia, Italy

Main Altarpiece, Cathedral of the Holy Savior, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Cathedral of Saint James of Compostela), UNESCO, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain

Fresco of St. George, Crypt, Cathedral, Trani, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Apulia, Italy

Long-eared Buddha figure at Udon Monastery (Vipassana Dhura Buddhist Centre) at Phnom Udon, Udong, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Soccorpo Cathedral (Lamia dei Morti) (Cemeterio) (Church of S. Croce), Cathedral of S. Maria Assunta, Gravina, Bari, Alta Murgia, Apulia, Italy

Main altar, Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral Basilica of Santa Thecla, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain

Lecce Cathedral (Cathedral of Maria Santissima Assunta and Sant'Oronzo), Lecce, Salento, Apulia, Italy

Our Lady of Constantinople, Co-cathedral of Ruvo di Puglia, Ruvo di Puglia, Bari, Apulia, Italy

Guardian figure at Horyuji Temple, which contains the world's oldest wooden structures, Nara, Japan, Asia

Carved figure at the Kayinarl Tombs, Turkic from 2nd century BC to 7th century AD, in the Altay mountains, Xinjiang, China, Asia

Small stone figure wearing traditional red dress, Nanzen Ji shrine, Kyoto, Kansai, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Buddha Statue outside the Temple of the Emperor, Bangkok, Thailand

Close up of a row of stone figures wearing red cloth, Sanzen In shrine, Kyoto, Kansai, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Mystical figure, white umbrella and golden stupas, Shwedagon Paya, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Close up of a traditional stone figure with prayer bracelets, Daisho In temple, Miyajima, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Traditional bronze figure of Buddha with red scarf and fresh flowers, Daisho In temple, Miyajima, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Small Buddha figures in cave, Pindaya Natural Cave Museum, Pindaya, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Macabre three figure detail from the front of Nidarosdomen Og Cathedral, Trondheim, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Figures over the west door of Exeter Cathedral, Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Ramakien figure, Wat Phra Kaeo, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Statue of a kneeling figure praying in front of Temple of Wat Sop Sickharam, Luang Prabang, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Ramakien figure, Wat Phra Kaeo, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Gilt chedi and Ramakien figures, Wat Phra Kaeo, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Figure on Hindu Temple, Matale, Sri Lanka, Asia

Detail of carved figures on Hindu temple, Sri Lanka, Asia

Man admiring statue in ornate temple

Tomb of Luis de Camoes in Church of Santa Maria, Lisbon, Extremadura, Portugal

Low angle view of statues on ornate temple dome

Forbidden City temple spires, Beijing, China

Tree roots surrounding face of Buddha statue

Crucifixes handing on beams in shop

Sunbeams on Buddha statue, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Snow on Buddha statue

Kneeling woman praying to statue in church

Monk blessing a woman, in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Woman, women, biking, Bridge and South Gate of Angkor Thom, Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Detail, Bayon temple, Angkor Thom, Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Figurehead of barge, Royal Barges National Museum, Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand

Detail, statues of Asuras on bridge of South Gate, in Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Figurehead of barge, Royal Barges National Museum, Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Wat Si Chum, in Sukhothai historical park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Buddha, in Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple of Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Monk embellishing religious sculptures, in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Buddha statue, in Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple of Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon Temple, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Wat Chaiwatthanaram, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Statue of demon on a Golden Chedi, at the temple of the Emerald Buddha Wat Phra Kaeo, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Si Chum, in Sukhothai historical park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Monk, in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Paintings at the temple of the Emerald Buddha Wat Phra Kaeo, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Wat Sa Si, in Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Buddha statue, Central sanctuary, in Prasat Hin Phimai (Phimai Historical Park), Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon Temple, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Detail of naga staircase, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple of Chiang Mai, Thailand

People praying, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple of Chiang Mai, Thailand

Buddha head, in Chao Sam Phraya National Museum, Ayuthaya, Thailand

Ornamentation, detail of barge, Royal Barges National Museum, Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand

Royal Barges National Museum, Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand

Monk and Buddha statue, in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Naga staircase, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple of Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon Temple, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Statues of demons on a Golden Chedi, at the temple of the Emerald Buddha Wat Phra Kaeo, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon Temple, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Portrait of the king and monks statue, in Wat Phra Singh temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Detail, statues of Asuras on bridge of South Gate, in Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Buddha head, in Chao Sam Phraya National Museum, Ayuthaya, Thailand

Reclining Buddha at Wat Chedi Luang Wora Wihan Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Thotkhirithon demon guardian figure at Wat Phra Kaeo on the grounds of The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

Guardian mythical demons or Yaksha supporting the base of a golden Chedi at Wat Phra Kaew on the grounds of The Grand Palace; Bangkok, Thailand.

Garuda figures on the ubusot, the main building of Temple of the Emerald Buddha at The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

Buddha statue in a garden. Ayegui, Navarre, Spain, Europe

Guardian mythical demon or Yaksha at The Grand Palace; Bangkok, Thailand.

Dragon figure at Wat Chedi Luang Wora Wihan Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Mythological demon statue at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, (Rangoon), Myanmar, (Burma)

Carved Cham stone relief exhibit at My Son, Quang Nam province, Vietnam

Colourful religious statue depicting man sitting on wall at a Hindu Shrine, Tamil Nadu, India

Face of guardian mythical demon figure, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

Colourful religious statue at a Hindu Shrine, Tamil Nadu, India

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai, Thailand

Golden Buddha statue at Wat Fon Soi Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Buddhist temple in the Arashiyama neighborhood of Kyoto, Japan

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon Temple, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Buddhist temple in the Arashiyama neighborhood of Kyoto, Japan

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Buddhist temple in the Arashiyama neighborhood of Kyoto, Japan

Golden Buddha figure detail on wall of Wat Mahawan Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Detail Banteay Srei Angkor Complex Cambodia

Monk in prayer hall at Wat Mai Buddhist Monastery, Luang Prabang, Laos

Brass Buddha figure, Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Asia

laughing buddha, house shrine, Gold

Longhua Temple, Longhua Temple and pagoda, oldest and largest buddhist temple in Shanghai, thousand-buddha-hall

Shwe U Min Pagode, 8000 Buddhas, Burma, Myanmar

A brightly painted wooden figure on a market stall in the Shan State of Myanmar, Asia

Figure of fountain at market place, Schwaebisch Gmuend, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe