The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c5.s5.14

c5.s5.14

A. 1 (C., pl. XI, 2, 4); 2 (C., pl. I, 1, 5, 6); 3 (Sp., pl. LIV a, 3, 14); 4 (Sm., pl. XIX, 13): variants of the lotus, the symbol of the miraculous birth of the Bodhisattva. The most characteristic form, with eight petals, is found on the coins of Erân (no. 1) : we give here in addition two fantastic, but current, forms — composed of three parasols and of three « taurine » or nandi-padas, framed (no. 2), or not (no. 3), in petals — and one quite stereotyped form (no. 4).