Sacred women have been portrayed throughout the history of India and Southeast Asia. Some were depicted as consorts to the Hindu gods and regarded as the necessary force that activates male energy. Other images arose out of local fertility cults and represented uncontrolled feminine energy that could be terrifying in aspect. The calmer Buddhist…

A teaching packet was developed in association with the exhibition, "The Noble Path: Buddhist Art of South Asia and Tibet," held at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., from October 1, 1989 to March 31, 1990. The packet aims to provide students in middle and secondary schools with introductory…