Accession Number
1997/2.36

Title
Scenes from the Life of the Buddha: Adoration of the Buddha Dimpakara, Conception, Prophecy, Birth (architectural fragment)

Artist(s)
Artist Unknown, Gandhara (Ancient Pakistan and Afghanistan)

Object Creation Date
2nd century - 3rd century

Medium & Support
stone

Dimensions
6 1/2 in. x 15 3/8 in. x 2 5/16 in. ( 16.5 cm x 39 cm x 5.8 cm )

Credit Line
Gift of Iuliana and Mark Phillips


Subject matter
A fragment of of the base of a small stupa, with relief depictions of a fence above and narrative scenes from the life of the Buddha below. From right to left, in the order they would be encountered by a devotee circumambulating the stupa, these are:
1) Siddhartha prostrates before the Buddha Dipamkara in a previous life.
2) Maya's dream: the conception of Sidhartha, when his mother dreams that an elephant enters her side
3) The prophecy of the sage Ajita to King Suddhodana and his Quene Maya, that their son will become a cakravartin (= universal ruler)
4) Siddhartha's birth, emerging from Maya's side as she grasps a tree in Lumbini Grove

Physical Description
A curved stone, originally a facing on the drum of a small stupa, carved with a narrative scene.

Primary Object Classification
Sculpture

Primary Object Type
architectural element

Additional Object Classification(s)
Ritual Object

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
Buddhas (visual works)
Buddhism
architectural firms
births
fragments (object portions)
relief (sculpture techniques)
stupas