Dates：2025/09/04 ~ 2026/03/26
Opening Hours : 10: 00 - 17: 00（Closed on Mondays, open as usual on consecutive holidays, and will be closed until the next day.）
Admission：You can visit this exhibition by purchasing a special exhibition ticket (NT$300) or a permanent exhibition ticket (NT$200).
Website：https://www.mwr.org.tw/2025bhava

Buddhism originated in ancient India around 2,500 years ago, founded by Śākyamuni and rooted in wisdom and compassion. It spread across Asia, leaving a profound and enduring impact. Throughout this vast journey across time and space, Buddhism emphasizes that every sentient being holds an innate potential—an inner light of true nature. This “light” transcends forms, appearances and languages, reaches into the very essence of existence, and illuminates the heart of each one of us.

Before entering parinirvana (nirvāṇa), the Buddha gave a special instruction to his disciple Ānanda: “Appa dīpo bhava” — “Be an island (a light) unto yourself; be your own refuge. Let the Dharma be your island (your light); let the Dharma be your refuge.”

This teaching comes from the Pāli Canon’s Mahāparinibbāna Sutta in the Theravāda tradition and is regarded as one of the Buddha’s most important final exhortations. It profoundly embodies the core Buddhist spirit of self-awareness, self-reliance, as well as independent and unwavering trust in the Dharma—serving as a guiding motto for generations of practitioners.

In the interpretation of scripture, the word “dīpa” can be understood as either “island”—symbolizing that in the bitter ocean of suffering and Saṃsāra, only oneself can offer refuge—or “lamp”, representing the inner light of wisdom that illuminates and guides from within.

The translation of the Dīrgha Āgama—The Final Journey, echoes this sentiment: “Therefore, Ānanda, be a light unto yourself, a light grounded in the Dharma; do not rely on others for illumination. Take refuge in yourself, take refuge in the Dharma; do not seek refuge in others.” This teaching emphasizes the inexhaustible source of light found within, encouraging self-awareness and inner clarity rather than dependence on others or external authority.

This exhibition follows the artistic and cultural threads of Buddhism’s three major legacies, presenting three thematic sections that, from historical narrative to one’s inner awakening, guide the audience on a luminous journey.

Visitors will follow the exhibition’s path, beginning with a gaze into historical artifacts, passing the Buddhist cosmology through the beauty of art, and ultimately returning to a personal experience of inner clarity—this light is born from the heart, illuminating oneself and the world.