Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c8.s1.34

c8.s1.34

The Chakra-Stambha was identical with the ancient Yūpa as stated in the Divyāvadāna itself. Both the Dharma-Chakra and the Sudarśana-Chakra have a thousand spokes and are symbols of the transcendent beyond the categories of time and space. Thus, the Buddha's life striding as colossus in Indian Art, is virtually a radiating bunch of symbols, and ceases to have meaning if torn from its essential context. It is cast in the same mould as the mythical feats of Vishṇu or Śiva. The begging bowl of Buddha (Bhikshā-Pātra) traces its descent from the Food Bowl (Bhujishya-Pātra, AV. XII. 1.60) of the Creator entrusted to Mother Earth, the Universal Mother Annapūrṇā. In this domain lines of separation or cult boundaries disappear and we find ourselves face to face with a language which is of universal significance and employed to expound the metaphysical truths of Perennial Philosophy (Sanātana Dharma; cf. Dhammo Sanantano of the Buddha).