4- Early Buddhist Art II

Question 1

Sāñci Mahāstūpa I
narrative elements

Answer 1

• 100 CE
• Jātaka elements
• auspicous elefants
• auspicous female with mango tree
• individualized dwarfs as supporters

Question 2

Mahākapi Jātaka

Answer 2

• great monkey king story
• SPREADING in different socio-historical context
• IMAGES ARE NOT ILLUSTRATION OF TEXT, but must be historicised in each context
• Relief Barhut, Sanci, Ajanta, Borobudur
• west torana Sanci, ca 120 BCE

Question 3

Function of Images

Answer 3

• illustration of text only for western philologists
• IMAGE as MANIFEST OF DIVINE PRESENCE and for PRACTISE

Question 3

CAKRAVARTIN

Answer 3

• Buddha as celestial royalty
• Buddha as 1st Cakravartin
• Sanskrit: “through the wheel is moving”
• a King ruling according to th erule of Dharma
• universal sovereign
• often depicted with royal animal elefant, horse
• Asoka at Sanci
• Asoka famous for his inscriptions
• kings fund buddh. Art around stupas: repesent themselves as cakarvartin

Question 4

Stone types

Answer 4

• grey, blackish stone: GANDHARA (Pakistan)
• reddish sandstone: MATHURA (Delhi, Jaipur)

Question 5

Life of Buddha in Gandhara narrative Art

Answer 5

• further spread of Buddhism up to China
• Kusan dynasty 1-3 CE
• Kanishka another patron of Buddhism
• greek influences, i.e. hellenistic dresses
• Asvagosa (2 CE) relig. advisor to Kaniska
• Buddhacarita: lifestory of Buddha becomes more important then Jatakas
• TEXT+IMAGE same culturla context