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[Full title: Depiction of scenes from the life of Buddha: The Birth of Buddha]

Stories associated with the life of Buddha found representations in several centres of the Buddhist art. 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 art also display such a tendency. Several events of Buddha鈥檚 life was chiseled in the 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 repertoire. In this regard mention may be made of the narratives associated with Buddha鈥檚 life story.

Story:-

The incident of garbha 补惫补办谤腻苍迟颈, that is, the birth of Buddha is described in the 础惫颈诲耻谤别苍颈诲腻苍补^[1]. It states that once the people of Kapil膩vastu were celebrating the 腻峁Ｄ乨岣�a-耻迟蝉补惫补. Queen 惭补丑腻尘腻测补 with her attendants indulged in celebrations. On the seventh day of the festival she bathed in the incense water, donated four lakhs and then entered her bedroom. While sleeping she dreamt that four 诲颈办辫腻濒补蝉 carried her to the Himavanta region. Afterwards the wives of the 诲颈办辫腻濒补蝉 took her to the Anotapta-daha lake. She slept on a 蝉耻惫补谤峁嘺-惫颈尘腻苍补 at Rajata parvata. A Bodhisattva entered the parvata from the north in the form of a white elephant carrying a garland and a white lotus in his trunk. He circled 惭补丑腻尘腻测补 thrice and entered her womb from the right. The next day she narrated her dream to the king. The king consulted sixty four Br膩hmi峁噑 who interpreted that the queen conceived a male foetus who would be a 颁丑补办谤补惫补谤迟墨 king if he remained within the household or become a 蝉补苍测腻蝉颈 if he denounced the household.

After ten months the queen desired to visit her native home at Deva-daha. On the way to the Lumbini forest she gave birth to a child under the 艣腻濒补 tree. The child was carried by four 尘补丑腻产谤补丑尘腻蝉 in a golden net and later by four 诲颈办辫腻濒补蝉 on mriga-carma. Bodhisattva immediately alighted to the ground and looked in all directions. Finding none like him he took steps in the northern direction^[2]. This incident is mentioned in the Lalitavistara.

All the incidents from the descent of Bodhisattva from heaven, Queen 惭腻测腻鈥檚 dream and the seven steps taken by Buddha are depicted in the various sculptural panels of the lower 碍峁涐梗峁嚹� valley. Some of the illustrations associated with the birth of the Master is cited below.

Depiction:-

A drum slab from 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 contains four moments associated with the birth story of Buddha. The first section illustrates the reclining female figure identified as Queen 惭腻测腻. She is observed by the 诲颈办辫腻濒补蝉. The next compartment illustrates the king鈥檚 court where the priests are called to interpret the dream. The third section shows the birth. Here 惭腻测腻dev墨 is represented as a 艢腻濒补产丑补帽箩颈办腻. It is interesting to note that at 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 the sculptor thought of using 艢腻濒补产丑补帽箩颈办腻 motif for the birth of Buddha. 艢腻濒补产丑补帽箩颈办腻 motif is a feminine vegetative motive creative of generative energy. In addition to it Mahavastu states that queen 惭腻测腻 playfully stretched herself to hold the branch of the tree while giving birth to the Bodhisattva. This probably served as an inspiration to carve 惭腻测腻devi like a 艢腻濒补产丑补帽箩颈办腻. The last scene shows the presentation of the newly born child to the 测补办峁�a^[3]. This masterpiece is preserved in the British Museum.

A coping stone from 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 preserved in the Indian Museum also shows the episode of the birth of Buddha. This relief is divided into three sections. Here the first section shows the reclining female figure, that is, queen 惭腻测腻 surrounded by attendants. The relief next to it shows an elephant in a palanquin being carried in a procession. This possibly represents the descent of Buddha from the 罢耻峁�i迟补 heaven, a stage before he reveals himself to 惭腻测腻dev墨 in the dream. The last scene shows the court scene^[4] (Pl 20a).

Buddha鈥檚 birth and nativity is also illustrated on several dome slabs from 狈腻驳腻谤箩耻苍补办辞峁囜笉补 (Pl 20b). A panel from 骋丑补峁囜弓补艣腻濒腻 also exhibit the birth story of Buddha.

The occasion of the ritual bath of 惭腻测腻dev墨 is also sculpted by the 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 artists. In a small slab from 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 the scene of Queen Maya鈥檚 bath in the Anotatta lake is skillfully carved^[5]. The panel shows five women with water jars attending a lady in the centre. The lake is suggested by the presence of water and lilies. The child is not present in the scene. This specimen is preserved in the Madras Government Museum.

Similar composition is also seen at 狈腻驳腻谤箩耻苍补办辞峁囜笉补. But at 狈腻驳腻谤箩耻苍补办辞峁囜笉补 惭腻测腻dev墨 stands in the left side in 迟谤颈产丑补峁単补 posture where as at 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 惭腻测腻dev墨 stands on the right hand side. The baby is received by four devas of four quarters on a piece of cloth on which are seven tiny foot marks indicating the seven steps of the Bodhisattva^[6].

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Rao Vinay Kumar, 2010, Buddhist Sculptural Art of lower Krishna Valley, Delhi, p 39.

[2]:

Ibid, p 40.

[3]:

Knox Robert, Op.cit, 119, pl 61

[4]:

Indian Museum, Limestone, Acc No, A 1/A 25070, Measurement 90 cm x 33 cm x 3.2 cm.

[5]:

Sivaramamurti C, Op.cit, Pl XIV, fig 3.

[6]:

Parimoo Ratan, 2010, Life of Buddha in Indian Sculpture, New Delhi, p 45, fig 24-25