Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c12.s3.t4: Eastern Gateway
Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c12.s3.t4
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Eastern Gateway
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Like the northern gateway, the eastern has been preserved in its original position although much damaged. The motifs on the capitals and false capitals are about the same, but are here treated with greater ease and freedom and the style is superior to what is seen in the other gateways.
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Top Architrave: Front—Seven Mānushī Buddhas shown by their Stūpas and Bodhi Trees as on other gateways.
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Middle Architrave—Buddha's departure from Kapilavastu, the city being shown with walls and a moat and gateway. This relief is repeated four times to show the progress of the prince.
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Third architrave shows the visit of Aśoka to the Bodhi tree. In the centre, the temple and trees of Bodhgaya; to the left, a crowd of musicians and devotees with water vessels; to the right, a royal retinue and a king and queen descending from an elephant and afterwards doing worship at the Tree. This is the ceremonial visit which Aśoka and his queen Tissarakkhitā paid to the Bodhi Tree, for the purpose of watering it and restoring it pristine beauty after the evil spell which the queen in a fit of jealousy had cast upon it. In the pairs of peacocks at the ends of this architrave there may be a special allusion to Aśoka, since the peacock (Pali: mora; Sans: Mayūra) was the badge of the Mauryan times. On the south voluted ends of the architrave and on the dies and false capitals are scenes of Chakra and Stūpa worship and Gaja-Lakshmī.
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Back of the first architrave—Seven Mānushī Buddhas depicted as usual by their thrones and Bodhi Trees.
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Middle Architrave—Worship of the Buddha's throne under a Bodhi tree by animal kingdom, including animals, real and mythical, birds and Nāgas.
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Lowest Architrave—Worship of the Stūpa by elephants. South end shows Pūrṇaghaṭa, Stūpa worship, Bodhi Tree worship and animal capital. North end depicts Stūpa worship and Pūrṇaghaṭa motif.
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Left Pillar—Front Face: Panels 1 and 2, the illumination and walk of the Buddha. In the second panel from the top is a temple at Bodhgaya built by Aśoka with the throne of Buddha within, and spreading through its upper windows the branches of the sacred tree. It is the illumination of the Buddha, and to right and left of the temple are four figures in an attitude of adoration, probably the guardian kings of the four quarters. Third Panel shows the miracle of the Buddha walking on the waters. The river Nirañjanā being shown in the foreground.
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Lowest Panel shows Bimbisāra with his royal cortege issuing from the city of Rājagṛiha, on a visit to the Buddha, here symbolised by his empty throne.
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INNER FACE—Top Panel depicts the visit of Indra and Brahmā to the Buddha in the city of Uruvilva.
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Second Panel shows the victory of the Buddha over the serpents in the Fire Chapel at Uruvilva (Agniśālā) in the āshrama of Kāśyapa.
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Third Panel—Miracles of the wood, the fire and the offering. In the story of Kāśyapa's conversion it is related that after the miracle of the Fire Temple, a sacrifice was prepared by the Brāhmaṇa but the wood for the fire could not be split, the fire could not be made to burn and the oblation could not be offered, until in each case the Buddha gave his consent.
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RIGHT PILLAR—Front Face—The six inferior heavens of the Kāmāvachara gods (Kāmāvachara-deva-lokas). Starting from below they are as follows:
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1. Chātummahārājikaloka, heaven of the four Lokapālas;
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2. Trayastriṃśaddeva, heaven of the thirty-three gods ruled by Indra;
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3. Yamaloka, where Yama, God of Death, presides and there is no variation of night and day;
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4. Tushitasvarga, where the Bodhisattvas are born prior to their descent on earth and where Maitreya now resides;
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5. Nirmāṇaratisvarga, heaven of the gods who rejoice in their own creation;
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6. Purinirmitavaśavartin gods, who indulge in pleasures created for them by others and over whom Māra is king.
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These Shadkāmāvachara devās are six classes of gods still living in the realm of desires in which the passions are still unsubdued. Their representation here is very monotonous. Each of these six heavens is represented by the storeys of a palace, front of which is divided by pillars into three bays, the pillars in the alternate storeys being either plain or provided with elaborate Persepolitan capitals. In the central bay there sits a god, probably Indra, holding a thunder-bolt (Vajra) in his right hand and a flask containing nectar in his left. Behind him are his female attendants holding the royal umbrella and fly-whisk. In the bay to his right, seated on a slightly lower seat, is his viceroy; and to his left are the court musicians and dancers. With slight variations the same figures are repeated in each of the six heavens.
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Inner Face—Top Panel showing the gods beseeching the Buddha to be born on earth. Second Panel—Dream of Māyā and the conception of the Bodhisattva. Third Panel—Royal procession of King Śuddhodana going to meet the Buddha. Fourth Panel—Miracle of walking in the air. Bottom Panel—The guardian Lokapāla of this gateway, probably Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the king of the Gandharvas, but no distinctive sign is shown.
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Back Face—*Sambodhi* or Illumination of the Buddha depicted by the *Pipal* Tree in square railing with worshippers on either sides and celestial beings above.