The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c7.s1.t2.31

c7.s1.t2.31

a) Thus it is that the frontal of the gate is occupied from one end to the other by a symbolical representation of the seven last Buddhas of the past, typified alternately by the tumulus of their *Parinirvâna* and the tree of their *Sambodhi* (pl. VIII, 1). The sculptor, having only two trees at his disposal, considered it his duty to give the honour of being placed on the fronton to the first and the last Buddha of the series : in fact, by comparison with the reverse side, one can distinctly recognize on the right of the central *stûpa*, the *Bignonia* of Vipaçyin, and on the left the sacred fig-tree of Gautama, otherwise called Çâkya-muni. On the other hand, the two missing tumuli are restored on the two upper supports (cf. § 4 *a'*) of the reverse side, so as to complete the traditional number. This observation allows us to suppose that some æsthetic scruple alone prevented the artist from placing the seven *stûpas* in a row on the façade, as on the other face he did not hesitate to do with the seven corresponding trees (cf. above, p. 72).