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Lot Essay
Narrative panels were often affixed to the drums of large and small stupas and could thus be read like a story-board sequentially in the ritual process of circumambulation. Reliefs were also placed in false gables on the front and the mid-section of a stupa, see diagram.
This relief is among the finest of its type and in the best overall condition. There are specks of gold remaining throughout the panel, indicating that it was once gilded.
Illustrated at top is the "Offering of the four bowls": After his seven week trance food was offered to Buddha by two merchants, but he had no bowl of his own in which to put the food, so the four Heavenly guardians, lokapalas, each brought a golden bowl. This precious metal was unacceptable, so it was transformed by the Buddha into various other metals and then into one of stone; for other illustrations of this scene, see H. Ingholt, Gandharan Art in Pakistan, 1957, cat. no. 67-69, p. 67f.
The second tier shows a reassuring Maitreya flanked by worshippers.
The third tier shows the Dipankara scene: According to the legend, when the Dipankara Buddha announced his visit to a certain town, the king reserved all available flowers to pay him proper homage. The young ascetic Sumati was unable to buy any flowers until he met a young girl by chance who had obtained some lotuses - here depicted on the left standing in a doorway. When he tossed the lotuses at Dipankara they remained suspended in mid air around the head of the Buddha and Sumati prostrated himself before him; compare also with lot 221.
The fourth tier shows the courtesan Amrapali presenting the Buddha with a Mango grove. Amrapali was famous for her beauty, charm and pious charity and she provided Buddha with food and shelter, the branches of the tree forming a canopy flanked by celestials. She holds a waterpot for cleaning hands as well as a symbol of oath for donation.
The fifth and final tier depicts Buddha teaching to the gods in Trayastrimsa heaven, flanked by Indra and Brahma.
This relief is among the finest of its type and in the best overall condition. There are specks of gold remaining throughout the panel, indicating that it was once gilded.
Illustrated at top is the "Offering of the four bowls": After his seven week trance food was offered to Buddha by two merchants, but he had no bowl of his own in which to put the food, so the four Heavenly guardians, lokapalas, each brought a golden bowl. This precious metal was unacceptable, so it was transformed by the Buddha into various other metals and then into one of stone; for other illustrations of this scene, see H. Ingholt, Gandharan Art in Pakistan, 1957, cat. no. 67-69, p. 67f.
The second tier shows a reassuring Maitreya flanked by worshippers.
The third tier shows the Dipankara scene: According to the legend, when the Dipankara Buddha announced his visit to a certain town, the king reserved all available flowers to pay him proper homage. The young ascetic Sumati was unable to buy any flowers until he met a young girl by chance who had obtained some lotuses - here depicted on the left standing in a doorway. When he tossed the lotuses at Dipankara they remained suspended in mid air around the head of the Buddha and Sumati prostrated himself before him; compare also with lot 221.
The fourth tier shows the courtesan Amrapali presenting the Buddha with a Mango grove. Amrapali was famous for her beauty, charm and pious charity and she provided Buddha with food and shelter, the branches of the tree forming a canopy flanked by celestials. She holds a waterpot for cleaning hands as well as a symbol of oath for donation.
The fifth and final tier depicts Buddha teaching to the gods in Trayastrimsa heaven, flanked by Indra and Brahma.