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BUDDHIST INDIAN SCULPTURES AND STATUES |
The golden chapter of Indian sculpture opens in the
3rd century BC, when the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka
adopted Buddhism and set out on a mission to spread
the teachings of the faith as far and wide as
possible. He had 85,000 stupas or dome-shaped
monuments constructed with the teachings of Buddhism
engraved on rocks and pillars. These inscriptions
which served as edicts can be seen in Buddhist
monuments in Gujarat, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and
Tamil Nadu. The famous Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath in
Madhya Pradesh gleams in polished sandstone
representing the hieratic art under the Mauryan
Empire. The lion capital of the pillar is now the
official emblem of the Indian Republic and the
sacred wheel of law or the dharmachakra is symbolic
of the first sermon that Buddha delivered at Sarnath.
The Great Stupa at Sanchi is perhaps the finest
surviving relic of the Mauryan Empire and is a
renowned Buddhist monument. Its finely carved
gateways depict Buddhist legends and lifestyles of
two thousand years ago. The foundation of the Stupa
was laid by Ashoka and he set up monasteries here as
a retreat for the Buddhist monks. The Great Stupa is
fifty-four feet high and is surrounded by a stone
railing and four elaborately carved gateways on each
side. The gateway reliefs depict tales of Buddha's
incarnations, his life as a prince, his moment of
enlightenment, his sermons and his worshippers. This
site at Sanchi also includes remains of smaller
stupas, pillars and monasteries.
In the 1st century AD, the position changed somewhat
radically in art and sculpture. The human figure
replaced the symbolic representation of Buddha and
his teachings. Though Buddha opposed the idea of
idol worship, his cult image was established and
became essential for acts of worship. The Mathura
and the Gandhara schools of sculpture imparted human
form to Buddha's image. To emphasize his divinity,
this human form was depicted with features like a
halo around the head, the dharmachakra engraved upon
his palms and soles of his feet, and the lion throne
representing his royal ancestry. These early stone
images of Buddha are awe-inspiring in terms of size
and magnificence.
The Buddha statues of the 5th century exhibit a
unique sensibility with human figures that are
meditative and serene, a body that is subtly modeled
and a face that glows with enlightenment. Here, the
ultimate definition of the divine is indicated in
the soft folds of the dress, the exquisite curvature
of the hands and the half-closed eyes of the Buddha.
Though, Buddhism deplored idol worship, this was an
inevitable change as the popularity of Buddhism
spread far and wide. To emphasize his divinity, this
human form was depicted with features like a halo
around the head, the dharmachakra engraved upon his
palms and soles of his feet, and the lion throne
representing his royal ancestry.
These Buddhist statues, exhibiting a serene Buddha,
with a glowing face are awe inspiring with their
sheer size and excellent craftsmanship.
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