7TH CENTURY

Angkor Borei, near the Bassac River, was one of the important centers of Buddhism in Mainland Southeast Asia. The earliest Buddhist production can be traced back to the seventh century or even just before. However it is still a debate if Buddha representations belong to the original Therevada or the slightly later Mahayana school. Most probably examples of both schools were existent next to each other. The presented Buddha is seated in the so-called European fashion on a throne and could represent too the future Buddha, Maitreya, suggesting a Mahayana background. Although most Angkor Borei Buddha sculptures are based on the West Indian, Amaravati-Gupta style, with both shoulders covered by a monk's robe, a few examples are known where the robe covers just the left shoulder, like the presented one. Perhaps this stylistic difference shows the beginning of a distinctive indiginous Khmer development, as neither the neighbouring Dvaravati school of Thailand knows this stylistic phenomenon.