The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c5.s5.48

c5.s5.48

B. Sambodhi. — 1. The Illumination is here symbolized by the assault of Māra (Māra-dharshaṇa) and his army (cf. Art g.-b. du Gandh., I, fig. 201). 2. At Amarāvatī this army is no longer represented, except by three dwarf Yakshas in front of the throne : it is the daughters of Māra who now play the principal rôle in the scene of the temptation. We shall remark the omission of the Bodhi-druma and the absence of the bhūmi-sparça-mudrā. — 3. At Benares, on the other hand, we find again, in addition to the same feminine and demoniacal persons, these two essential elements, namely the indication of the tree and the gesture of taking to witness the Earth, whose figure is only half seen.