Stone Panels

9660E132-126F-407A-BBC9-A0D9869CA970_1_1

Stone panels of Budishitva

Stone panels presenting Budhisattvas life was normally covering the foot of the stupas. All important stories about Buddha when he was born, when he was leaving the castle, healing people, teaching people, starving, riding etc was placed along the foot of the stupa that was meant to contain remains of Buddha

Hight ca 29 cm

The story of Buddha's birth is a significant and revered tale in Buddhism. Siddhartha Gautama, who would become the Buddha, was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, around the 6th to 5th century BCE, into a royal family of the Shakya clan. His father was King Suddhodana, and his mother was Queen Maya.

According to Buddhist texts, the birth of Siddhartha Gautama was miraculous and full of auspicious signs. It is said that Queen Maya dreamed a white elephant with six white tusks entered her side, which was interpreted by the royal soothsayers as an indication that she would give birth to a great leader, either a universal monarch or a Buddha. This is a framed rectangular panel showing the birth of the infant baby Siddhartha. The main feature of the panel is the figure of Queen Maya. She is standing, her legs crossed, holding a branch under the canopy of a Sal (Jumbo) tree, which symbolizes the Lumbini garden. Her left hand is resting over the shoulder of her sister Mahaprajaprati who is helping her in delivery. The queen wears only a lower garment, but she is further provided with an elaborate headdress, necklace, and anklets. The child is shown emerging from her right side. He is received in a golden cloth by the god Indra standing to the right of the queen. Indra is receiving Siddhartha in a shawl. The small figure to the left of Maya's feet is the Infant Buddha, taking the seven steps immediately after his birth in each of the four directions. lotus flowers sprang from his footsteps, and he declared this to be his final rebirth and that he would attain enlightenment. Tragically, Queen Maya died seven days after Siddhartha's birth, and he was raised by his mother's sister, Mahapajapati Gotami. Siddhartha's birth is celebrated every year by Buddhists around the world in a holiday known as Vesak, marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment (Nirvana), and death (Parinirvana).

A gray schist panel the birth of Siddhartha”, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight ca 23 cm

The Great Departure refers to the moment when Siddhartha Gautama, the prince who would become the Buddha, leaves his royal life and family to seek enlightenment. According to the traditional story, after witnessing the sufferings of old age, sickness, and death, Siddhartha realized the pervasive nature of suffering and the impermanence of worldly pleasures. Motivated by a deep desire to find a way to overcome suffering, he decided to renounce his princely life.

In the middle of the night, Siddhartha quietly left the palace. The scenes often depict him riding his horse, Kanthaka, with depictions sometimes showing divine entities such as gods holding the horse's hooves to prevent them from making sound as a way to ensure his departure was silent and undetected by the palace guards. On this panel you can see such a person depictured under the horse. This moment symbolizes Siddhartha's renunciation of worldly attachments and his determination to seek a path to liberation from suffering.
The act of riding out of the palace on Kanthaka represents Siddhartha's renunciation of his royal heritage, wealth, family, and future as a king in search of spiritual awakening. It symbolizes the importance of renouncing worldly desires and attachments in the pursuit of spiritual growth and enlightenment.

A gray schist panel of Prince Siddhartha Leaving the Palace”, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight ca 20 cm

Elephants hold significant symbolic meaning in the context of the Buddha's life and Buddhist teachings, embodying various attributes such as mental strength, wisdom, and the potential for enlightenment. Several instances in Buddhist texts and traditions highlight the importance of elephants:

Dream of Queen Maya: Before the birth of Siddhartha Gautama (who would become the Buddha), his mother, Queen Maya, is said to have had a dream in which a white elephant holding a white lotus in its trunk entered her side. This dream is considered an auspicious sign and is interpreted as foretelling the birth of a great being. The white elephant, in this context, symbolizes purity, holiness, and a direct symbol of the Buddha himself.

Elephant as a Vehicle of the Mind: In Buddhist teachings, the mind is sometimes compared to a wild elephant. In its untamed state, the mind, like a wild elephant, can be destructive and difficult to control. However, just as an elephant can be trained, so too can the mind be tamed through mindfulness and meditation practices. This analogy is used to illustrate the potential for transformation and the importance of mental discipline on the path to enlightenment.

Gajapati, or Lord of Elephants: The Buddha is sometimes called Gajapati, which means "Lord of Elephants." This title reflects his mastery over his own mind, likening it to the mastery required to control a powerful elephant. It also symbolizes his role as a leader and teacher, guiding others on the path to enlightenment.

Elephants in Buddhist Art and Symbolism: Elephants are frequently depicted in Buddhist art and iconography. They can be seen in stories from the Jataka tales (stories of the Buddha's previous lives), in depictions of the Buddha's birth (with the dream of Queen Maya), and in scenes showing the Buddha taming wild elephants, which symbolizes the taming of the mind.

An Elephant’s Footprint: In some texts, the Buddha's teachings are compared to an elephant's footprint, in the sense that just as an elephant's footprint can encompass the footprints of many other animals, the Buddha's teaching (Dharma) encompasses all other teachings and is supreme among them.

Overall, elephants symbolize many key aspects of the Buddha's teachings and qualities, serving as powerful metaphors for wisdom, mental strength, and the potential for enlightenment inherent in all beings.

A gray schist panel of two men resting with elephant Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

A green-grey schist panel of Prince Siddhartha with followers, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight ca 33 cm

The Buddha, after his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, dedicated the rest of his life to teaching the Dharma (his teachings) to all who were interested, regardless of their background or status. One of the most significant moments early in his teaching career was the first sermon, known as the "Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta" or "Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dharma." This event marks the beginning of the Buddha's public teaching career and the foundation of the Buddhist community (Sangha).
After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha initially hesitated to teach, doubting whether people would understand the profound and subtle Dharma. However, upon seeing that there were those with "little dust in their eyes" who could understand the Dharma, he decided to share his insights. His first destination was the Deer Park (Isipatana) in Sarnath, near Varanasi (Benares), where he sought out the five ascetics who had been his companions during his time practicing severe austerities.

A gray schist panel of Boddhisatva with followers, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight ca 33 cm

Panel of Buddha sitting Nice, interesting panel, have not been able to describe this one yet. First lecture by Buddha under the tree.

Gandhara Stone relief panel of Buddha and two Budhisatva 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight ca 23 cm

Throughout his life, the Buddha taught diverse groups of people, from kings and nobles to outcasts and criminals, always adapting his message to suit the understanding and needs of his audience, yet without compromising the essence of his teachings. His discourses, collected in various Buddhist scriptures, cover a wide range of topics and practical guidelines for living a life of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom.

A gray schist panel of Prince Siddhartha Leaving the Palace”, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight ca 40 cm

An interesting panel reflecting the fasting Buddha under a tree being offered food from three Hariti women.
The young prince Siddhartha left his palace in search of enlightenment and practiced for the next six years, Siddhartha wandered through the countryside studying with six teachers and practicing severe austerities. Towards the end of this period, surviving only on a single grain of rice a day, Siddhartha was reduced to skin and bones. This stage of Buddha is known as Fasting Buddha. Then, while he was fasting in the mountains he realized that severe fasting would lead him to death rather than enlightenment. Thus he decided to adopt the middle path between the extremes of luxury which he had known in his youth and the extremes of austerities which he was currently following. Then, giving up his penance, he went to the town where he was offered food by a young woman named Sujatha; Sujatha offered him a golden bowl of gruel (milk rice). Accepting the gift, Siddhartha goes to the bank of the Nairanjana River, bathes and exchanges clothes with a corpse (a corpse is traditionally wrapped in a clean, often new, shroud). Siddhartha then divided the gruel into fifty balls, ate one of them and put the others away in the folds of his garment. Siddhartha then placed the golden bowl in the river and declared that if the bowl floated upstream it would mean that he would attain enlightenment on that very day. The bowl floated upstream, sank some distance away, landing along with the bowls of the previous Buddhas. Taking this to be an affirmation of his goal, Siddhartha crossed the river and approached the Bodhimanda, or place of enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Ultimately Siddhartha attained enlightenment at the age of thirty-five and became known as the Buddha - "The enlightened one".
This story underscores the importance of the Middle Way in Buddhist practice, advocating a path of moderation and balance.

A massive panel of fasting Buddha, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

A gray schist panel of Buddha with followers, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight; 55 cm (90 kg)

This panel piece shows a typical festoon pattern. Young men holding a wavy festoon (garland of flowers), which originated in Greece and Rome, and was very popular in Gandhara Art.
The cupid seems to carry the raised part of the festoon, and the lower part is decorated with grapes and a ribbon.
Animals (goat and peacock) looking through the feaston with a lotus-ribbon on the top and flowers on the lower level of the massive relief. These lush garlands were frequently featured in depictions of Jataka tales, in which the Buddha was previously incarnated as a bird.

A gray schist relief depicting garland bearers, Ancient region of Gandhara 3rd – 4th century AD

A green schist panel of Boddhisathva with followers, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight ca 21 cm

The death of the Buddha, known as Parinirvana, is a significant and poignant event in Buddhism, marking the moment when the Buddha passed away and entered into a state of Nirvana, free from the cycle of birth and death (samsara).
According to the text, the Buddha's death occurred in the town of Kushinagar (in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India) when he was 80 years old. Leading up to his death, the Buddha had continued to teach and spread his insights on the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, and the path to enlightenment across the Ganges plain.
The Buddha's death was followed by the cremation of his body, as detailed in the texts. His relics were distributed among various groups and enshrined in stupas, which became important pilgrimage sites and centers of worship.
This relief panel featuring Buddhas death was made to adorn the surface of a stupa, a sacred mound, usually encased in brick or stone, containing relics of the Buddha or one of his followers. The panel depicts the death of Buddha Shakyamuni, when he passed into "Nirvana," the end of his cycle of rebirth. Two of the disciples standing behind him raise their arms in grief; two monks at his feet similarly mourn his death, one of them probably identified as Subhadra, the Buddha’s last convert, sits calmly at the Buddha’s bedside, remembering that the Buddha has attained "Nirvana," a state of non-existence and freedom from suffering. Traces of white pigments.

A gray schist panel of the death of Buddha, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

Hight ca 40 cm

A very rare and interesting Panel of Buddha surrounded by a flower crest and two Bodhisattvas. From above over a grid four “flying devas“ are pouring lotusflowers over Buddha.
Beneath the meditating Buddha are two strange animals.

An important panel of Buddha, Ancient region of Gandhara 2nd – 3rd century AD

A gray schist figure of Shiva, Gandhara/North India 6th century AD