Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

India / South Asia Collection

Accession Nr.: 6346
Type: relief
Date of production:
1st-2nd c.
Gandhara art
Place of production:
Acquisition: donation of Imre Schwaiger
Materials: slate
Techniques: carved
Dimensions: height: 22.5 cm
width: 49 cm
depth: 5.2 cm
Fragment of a frieze with alternating Buddha and bodhisattva figures: a Buddha is sitting on the left side, then a bodhisattva, a Buddha again, and the fourth figure, that of a bodhisattva, is partly broken off.

Each figure holds his hands in different gestures, from left to right: preaching (dharmacakrapravartana-m.), meditating (dhyana-m.), fearlessness (abhaya-m.). The fourth figure was probably in bhumisparsha-mudra. There might have been a fifth figure in blessing gesture (varada-m.) as these five gestures are the traditional Buddha gestures.

Himalayan schist.