Material: stone

Size: 2ft 2in tall

 

First, take a minute or two to look closely at the images above. Write down your reaction to this object--what details do you notice? Why did you pick this object for your response paper? Make notes on things that you notice about it. Also, write down any questions you have about it--what kinds of things would you want to know about this object? Remember the questions we ask in class. You don't need to have answers for these questions yet, but keep them in your notes.

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Once you have some questions written down, try to answer them by reading the information I've provided below about this object and its context.​

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What do we know about this object?​

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This is an image of the Buddha. In life, the Buddha was a well-born young man named Siddhartha Gautama. His childhood was sheltered, since he lived in a palace and wanted for nothing. However, when he became a young man, he ventured outside the palace and realized the depth of human suffering. He gave up all his worldly possessions and status, and began a journey looking for the meaning of life and the ways to end suffering and attain peace. He discovered answers during an intense meditation session under a bodhi tree, and began preaching his wisdom to the people of India. The scene above shows the Buddha's first sermon, which according to legend took place in a deer park in Sarnath, India.

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The style of this carving is similar to images of the Buddha which were made between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE in the region of Gandhara, in what is today Pakistan. When Buddhism first developed in India in the 500s BCE, the Buddha was never depicted in art. He was a revered teacher, not a god. However, as Buddhism migrated out of India into new lands, the religion came into contact with other faiths and art traditions, such as Greek, Persian/Zoroastrian, and early Christian imagery in Central Asia. In the region of Gandhara artists first attempted to show the Buddha in a human form, depicting parts of the Buddha's life story. The sculpture above was most likely made by a craftsperson in Gandhara.

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There are many symbols here which are important in Buddhist art:

• The bodhi tree: The Buddha sits underneath a tree, which is meant to evoke the bodhi tree he was sitting under when he reached enlightenment.

• The halo: The Buddha has a halo behind his head, marking his special status or holiness.

• The ushnisha: This is the "bump" on top of the Buddha's head which signifies his great wisdom.

• The third eye: If you look closely, there is a dot on the Buddha's head between his eyes, marking his "third eye" and again signifying his wisdom and foresight.

• The elongated ears: The Buddha started life as an upper-class man, and so his ears were stretched out by heavy earrings. He left behind his jewelry when he went on his journey of enlightenment, but his ears remain elongated as a symbol of his upbringing.

• The right hand: This hand gesture is a gesture of comfort--"don't fear". Hindu deities also use this gesture sometimes.

• The left hand is simply holding a fold of his clothing, which falls down below his hand in folds.

• The cross-legged pose: This is a traditional yoga pose, and a pose of meditation.

• The wheel: Symbolizes the "wheel of the law" set in motion by the Buddha. By "law" we mean simply the teachings of the Buddha.

• Two deer: Tell the viewer that this scene is the Buddha's first sermon, which took place in a deer park.

• Vajrapani: The man standing behind the Buddha's left shoulder (his left, not your left) holds a sort of elongated object. In other representations this is a little clearer--the man in Vajrapani, the Buddha's protector, who carries a weapon sometimes interpreted as a lightning bolt. His imagery is borrowed from the Greek image of Hercules with his club.

• Flower garlands (?): To either side of the Buddha's head, something is hanging. I suggest garlands/crowns of flowers, but you may disagree!

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Some things to consider in your response paper:​

• What was your response to this object? What drew your eye? You are encouraged to use first person (I/me) in your response paper. I want to know what you think.

• Consider the artistic details of this object carefully. What kinds of decisions did the artist make when they were creating this piece, and why? Use your art terminology.

• Also consider the historical context of this sculpture, in Gandhara in the 2nd century CE, in the middle of Asia where a lot of different cultures were mixing and mingling. What aspects of this sculpture are characteristic of Indian art, and what aspects show the influence of other cultures?

• How does the artist tell the story of the Buddha's first sermon? How does the artist help the viewer identify the scene (what visual clues does the artist give you) and how does the artist convey the main points of the story in a single image?

• What does this artwork tell you about the beliefs of Buddhism and the religious figure of the Buddha?