Indian art is an expression of Indian life and thought attuned to its vast natural background and its socio-religious traditions. Its style, technique or general tenor has nothing to do with any particular religious outlook. The term Hindu, Jaina or Buddhist art is but a popular nomenclature to distinguish one group of monuments, including painting, cave-temples and architecture, etc., from another. Hence, by Buddhist Art we mean those monuments and paintings, which were built for the main purpose of popularizing Buddhism. In India there are innumerable monuments representing different phases of Buddhism, which help us to visualize the trend of Buddhist art through the ages. 
Buddhist Art evolved gradually over the centuries to incorporate a pantheon of deities, including Maitreya or the future Buddha, bodhisattvas and Dhyani Buddhas. Buddhism continued in its esoteric form in the countries like Nepal and Tibet when it declined in India during the 12th century A.D.