The Buddhist universe of space and time
Entering by the enormous yet simple gateway, in an instant you are in the world of Buddhism. The glittering beauty that greets the eye contrasts starkly with the sober exterior walls. The main hall, more than nine meters high, offers a broad and open view. A towering stone sculpture of Tathāgata evokes a sense of dignity and compassion. In the dome above, the caisson ceiling, with a circle enclosed by a square, reflects Buddhist ideas of space and time.
“Our biggest difference from other museums is that we had the artifacts first, and then designed the exhibition space,” says museum director Venerable Jian Chen, who was involved throughout the museum’s planning process. “The museum is the final piece in the puzzle of Venerable Master Wei Chueh’s vision of the ‘Five Directions of Spreading Buddhism.’” (The “five directions” link Buddhism with academia, education, art, science, and daily life.)
“In fact the Chinese word for ‘world,’ shijie, comes from Buddhist sutras,” notes Jian Chen. Shi refers to time, and jie refers to space, which is to say the Buddhist notion of a universe of time and space (known as shi fang san shi—the “ten directions and three divisions of time), the universe of the Avatamsaka Sutra, which nurtures all living things.
To give museum visitors a novel sensory experience, the lighting has been specially designed, and exhibition rooms are themed in different colors inspired by the “Ten Mysteries” of the Avatamsaka Sutra. For example, the hall of Indian Buddhist sculptures, “Ancient Splendor from India,” is decorated in orange; the room of bronze sculptures, “Cast in Brilliance,” is done up in royal blue; and the exhibition space for offerings to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, “Jeweled Flower Hall,” is of a solemn purple color. A strong atmosphere of Chan (Zen) Buddhist ideas permeates the venue. The design gives visitors a feeling of interacting with the artifacts across time and space as they appreciate their artistry.
The Orientation Foyer and the brightly lit, pure white L-shaped covered walkway at the entrance lobby symbolize the transformation of space and time. In the multimedia theater, animations illustrate the compassionate “joyful giving” of Buddha’s disciple Sudhanakumāra. “Combining Eastern design with Western construction has always been the guiding principle at Chung Tai.” Using up-to-date technology to explain the traditional Dharma allows Chung Tai to get closer to people.
The main museum has 18 exhibition rooms and a collection of 1176 artworks. Based on the ideas of “carrying the Way with words,” “awakening the mind with images,” and “transmitting the Dharma through scriptures,” it testifies to the history of the eastward progress of Buddhism. The museum, which has been called “the Louvre of religion,” lays out a storyline of Buddhism that enables visitors to experience its evolution through the ages.
In the main hall of the Chung Tai World Museum, the dome features a caisson ceiling with a circle enclosed by a square, reflecting Buddhist ideas of time and space.