Buddha Shakyamuni
Figure
Early 12th century (made)
Early 12th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
There are few large-scale images of the Buddha in eastern India and this example is among the finest to have been preserved. It shows the Buddha seated in meditation on a lotus throne (‘padmasana’) with a ‘vajra’ (thunderbolt). These features identify it specifically as a ‘diamond throne’ (‘vajrasana’).
The gesture of the lowered hand position (‘bhumisparsa-mudra’) is significant. It confirms that Shakyamuni is calling the earth to witness his resistance of the temptations of the demonic goddess Mara and the forces of worldly attachments. The combination of the ‘diamond throne’ and the mudra confirm that this image is intended to depict the historical Buddha at Bodhgaya, immediately prior to his Enlightenment.
This posture became a classic attitude in later Buddhist sculpture and was widely emulated elsewhere in the art of Buddhist Asia. Few monumental images of the Buddha survive from eastern India. Buddhism, weakened by the arrival of popular Hinduism and by Muslim invasions, was nearing collapse in the region at this time. Later, medieval Hinduism re-absorbed the Buddha as a divine incarnation (‘avatara’) of Vishnu, and many Buddha images of the Pala period (about 760-1142) appear to have been worshipped in this form.
The gesture of the lowered hand position (‘bhumisparsa-mudra’) is significant. It confirms that Shakyamuni is calling the earth to witness his resistance of the temptations of the demonic goddess Mara and the forces of worldly attachments. The combination of the ‘diamond throne’ and the mudra confirm that this image is intended to depict the historical Buddha at Bodhgaya, immediately prior to his Enlightenment.
This posture became a classic attitude in later Buddhist sculpture and was widely emulated elsewhere in the art of Buddhist Asia. Few monumental images of the Buddha survive from eastern India. Buddhism, weakened by the arrival of popular Hinduism and by Muslim invasions, was nearing collapse in the region at this time. Later, medieval Hinduism re-absorbed the Buddha as a divine incarnation (‘avatara’) of Vishnu, and many Buddha images of the Pala period (about 760-1142) appear to have been worshipped in this form.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Buddha Shakyamuni (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved black basalt |
| Brief description | Seated Buddha Shakyamuni, basalt, Patna, eastern India, early 12th century |
| Physical description | Seated figure of the Buddha Shakyamuni in bhumisparsa-mudra. This sculpture depicts the Buddha seated in the 'lotus' meditating position on a mat edged with pearls above a single lotus throne. A large part of the right arm of the figure is missing from below the shoulder to the wrist, his left hand with palm turned upwards resting in his lap is also damaged. A part of the ushnisha is missing and the face has lost its nose and shows other marks of abrasion. The Buddha has lowered eyes under the narrow incised curving lines of his eyebrows. His hair is shown in rows of tight 'snail-shell' curls. His clinging robe is thrown over his left shoulder in a sinuous curve, with one end terminating in a gently curving row of tight folds just above his left breast. The edge of the robe is shown as a line dipping under his right breast with the opposite edge snaking down his torso. It is further seen in two encircling ridges above his ankles above the tightly folded fan-shaped hems of the front and back parts of the robe upon which he sits. His right hand which is shown touching the earth, although damaged, still bears remnants of webbing between the fingers. The soles of his feet are marked with two small symbols of the dharma-chakra. |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by the Architectural Association, Royal Architectural Museum, 37 Great Smith Street, Westminster, S.W |
| Object history | Given by the Architectural Association, to which this and 51 related architectural pieces from ruined temples devastated by Muslim raiders in the 14th and 15th centuries on the twin summits of Mount Shatrunjaya, Palitana in Gujarat, IM 53-112-1916, had been presented by Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, Ist baronet, G.C.B, C.C.S.I. (1815-1884), former Governor of Bombay, in 1877. As John Guy writes in The Peaceful Liberators the high degree of stylistic uniformity suggests that these pieces were collected from a single temple, or at least from sites that were contemporary. They are related to known Solanki dynasty temples of the 11th and 12th centuries: inscriptions record that endowments were made to the Shatrunjaya temples during the reign of Siddharaja Jayasimha (1095-1142), a Solanki ruler renowned for his patronage. Given by the Architectural Association, Royal Architectural Museum, 37 Great Smith Street, Westminster, S.W. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project. R.P. 1915-3836M and R.P. 1916-2270M |
| Historical context | The Buddha seated in meditation called the earth to witness his resistance to the temptations of the evil goddess Mara. This posture (bhumisparsa-mudra) became a classic attitude in later Buddhist sculpture and was widely emulated elsewhere in the art of Buddhist Asia. Few monumental images of the Buddha survive from Eastern India where Buddhism, weakened by the arrival of popular Hinduism and by Muslim invasions, was nearing collapse. The Buddha was absorbed into later Hinduism as a divine incarnation (avatar) of Vishnu and many Pala Buddha images appear to have been worshipped in this form. |
| Production | Patna district, Bihar, eastern India |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | There are few large-scale images of the Buddha in eastern India and this example is among the finest to have been preserved. It shows the Buddha seated in meditation on a lotus throne (‘padmasana’) with a ‘vajra’ (thunderbolt). These features identify it specifically as a ‘diamond throne’ (‘vajrasana’). The gesture of the lowered hand position (‘bhumisparsa-mudra’) is significant. It confirms that Shakyamuni is calling the earth to witness his resistance of the temptations of the demonic goddess Mara and the forces of worldly attachments. The combination of the ‘diamond throne’ and the mudra confirm that this image is intended to depict the historical Buddha at Bodhgaya, immediately prior to his Enlightenment. This posture became a classic attitude in later Buddhist sculpture and was widely emulated elsewhere in the art of Buddhist Asia. Few monumental images of the Buddha survive from eastern India. Buddhism, weakened by the arrival of popular Hinduism and by Muslim invasions, was nearing collapse in the region at this time. Later, medieval Hinduism re-absorbed the Buddha as a divine incarnation (‘avatara’) of Vishnu, and many Buddha images of the Pala period (about 760-1142) appear to have been worshipped in this form. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.112-1916 |
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| Record created | February 13, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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