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The White Path Between Two Rivers
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
This painting is a visual presentation of a teaching ascribed to the Chinese Buddhist monk Shandao (善導) (613–681). It describes a challenging journey to the land of the Buddha Amida along a narrow path between a river of fire and a river of water. The story is about escaping the six paths of reincarnation—the heavens and hells, as well as the realms of humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and fierce beings. The Buddha Amida appears at the top in his Pure Land, or Western Paradise.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineThe White Path Between Two Rivers (二河白道図), 1200s. Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333). Hanging scroll; ink, color, gold, silver, and cut gold on silk; painting: 124.7 x 50.8 cm (49 1/8 x 20 in.); mounted: 215.1 x 67.7 cm (84 11/16 x 26 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of The Norweb Foundation, 1955.44
