Buddhist art and ceramics from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Burma comprise the strengths of the Johnson’s mainland Southeast Asia collection. Theraveda Buddhism, centered on the historical Buddha, was introduced from India and became the dominant form of Buddhism in these areas. Images of the Buddha follow standardized proportions and have an idealized appearance that is symbolic of the dharma, the Buddha’s teachings, with each element of the body and garments related to an aspect of the Theraveda path to enlightenment. Ceramics range from Neolithic and Iron Age earthenwares of Ban Chiang culture, to Khmer stonewares, to fourteenth-through-sixteenth century ceramics of Vietnam, Thailand, and Burma. The Johnson also has textiles from various hill peoples of peninsular Southeast Asian, and a collection of modern Singaporean and Malaysian paintings.