The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c7.s1.t2.8

c7.s1.t2.8

Where are they going? Not far, it seems, into a park near the town, where all have dismounted; and the first idea is that they are going to the famous park of Lumbini, theatre of the « Nativity », which may be presaged by the scene (at the top of the panel) of the « Conception ». But there is nothing to corroborate this hypothesis. The king and the Çâkyas appear indeed all occupied in contemplating with clasped hands some miraculous event: but their eyes are raised into the air, and the object towards which they are turned is a small rectangular slab, stretched exactly above their heads. It cannot take us long to recognize in this slab the « promenade of precious stone » (Skt. *ratna-caṅkrama*) which Buddha created by magic « in the air », on the occasion of his first return to his native town of Kapilavastu (¹).