The essentials
Early European scholars sometimes found Indian sculpture strange because of many-armed, many-headed or part-human forms. They tried to understand it by comparing it with Greek art, which they knew. They found early images of the Buddha and bodhisattvas, especially from Gandhara (in the northwest), similar to Greek statues and therefore valued them.
Historians now try to understand sculpture by combining it with textual traditions and with knowledge of local practices. Many early Buddhist sculptures did not show the Buddha in human form; instead his presence was shown through symbols. For example, an empty seat could indicate the meditation of the Buddha; the stupa represented the mahaparinibbana (his passing away); the wheel stood for the first sermon at Sarnath; and the tree (bodhi tree) represented an event in his life, such as enlightenment.
Key points
- The shalabhanjika (woman holding the branch of a tree) at Sanchi's gateway was a symbol of auspiciousness; she reflects popular traditions absorbed into Buddhism.
- Animals such as elephants, horses, monkeys and cattle are carved at Sanchi; elephants were symbols of strength and wisdom.
- A woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants sprinkling water on her has been identified as Maya, the Buddha's mother, by some, and as Gajalakshmi, goddess of good fortune, by others.
- Serpent motifs suggest the influence of popular traditions.
- At Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, a huge rock relief shows a scene that some identify as the descent of the river Ganga from heaven, and others as Arjuna doing penance.
- Interpretations differ, so historians must be cautious.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the absence of the Buddha's figure means he was absent from the story.