Search Buddhist Channel
Japanese research team to help restore Indian cave art
The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb 12, 2009
Ajanta, India -- A research group from the Tokyo-based National Research Institute for Cultural Properties will be dispatched Thursday to help restore and preserve Buddhist wall paintings in the Ajanta caves in western India.
The stone caves are Buddhist monasteries built into the India Deccan Plateau. They are believed to have been constructed in two stages, with the first phase occurring during the first century B.C. to the second century, and the second phase during the fifth and sixth centuries. Precise dates are still unknown.The caves were discovered in 1819 by a British officer hunting for tigers in the area, and in 1983, UNESCO recognized the caves as a World Heritage Site.
This will be the first time a Japanese team has taken part in preservation and restoration activities at a World Heritage Site in India. The institute was previously involved in restoration projects in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and Dunhuang, China.
The walls and ceiling of the Ajanta caves depict Buddha's life using a tempera painting technique. The caves are also home to India's largest Buddha statue.
The team will conduct research in two of the area's 30 caves over a period of two years.
The wall paintings were restored in 1920 by an Italian restorer who applied varnish to the walls of the cave. But problems subsequently emerged: The varnish is prone to change color and there also were fears that moisture in the walls would be unable to evaporate.
Further, following the decline of Buddhism in the region, the stone caves were left unattended for a long time and were subsequently inhabited by bats. Excrement and associated bacteria left by the bats have compounded problems.
The research team will attempt to gauge the condition of the paintings by using color-based analysis. The team also will try to determine the best way to remove the varnish from the walls.
In the autumn, the team is expected to measure the dimensions of the caves, as no accurate data presently exist.
The survey will be led by cultural history specialist Kosaku Maeda, professor emeritus of Wako University.
"We'll be able to look into the commonly held belief that the Horyuji temple wall paintings--which have been referred to as being in the international style--were influenced by the Ajanta wall paintings" Maeda said.
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Omniscient Robotic-Being for Buddhist Understanding)
For Malaysians
who wants to donate in MYR, please use the following account:Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.
Dear Friends in the Dharma,
We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.
Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:
One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.
How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.
For Malaysians
who wants to donate in MYR, please use the following account:Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.
Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.
Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.
Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.
Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.
Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!
May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,
With deepest gratitude,
Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team
Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau
We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.
If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv