The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c11.s1.92

c11.s1.92

Better still : just as Leemans’ nos. 166, 168 and 170 set before us religious feasts interrupted, thanks to a not excessive desire for variety, by a profane subject, so nos. 172, 174 and 176 intercalate a land scene between two maritime episodes. Now this intervening scene (L., 174) represents the entrance of a monk — notwithstanding the drawing of Wilsen, who lends him hair and jewels, it is indeed a monk — into the palisaded enclosure of a town, whilst a group of inhabitants approaches to give him welcome. Here again, with the text in our hands, it seems difficult not to recognize the return of Mahâkâtyâyana to Çrâvastî. Then, the two pictures in which we see a boat just drawing near to a bank would represent, no less scrupulously than do the texts, the two foundations of Hiruka and Bhiruka by the two ministers Hiru and Bhiru after their flight by water from Roruka. Thus, in spite of the terribly commonplace character of the two disembarcations, we venture to make the following identifications :