The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c9.133

c9.133

epigraph, by informing us that he is called « king Prasenajit of Koçala », gives us at the same time the name of the town and localizes the scene at Çrâvastî. Now this king and his suite are going in the direction of a building of imposing appearance, which shelters a wheel surmounted by a parasol, and bearing a heavy garland suspended from its nave. For all students of ancient Buddhist art the allegory is clear : but, for fear the spectator should conceive the slightest hesitation, a second helpful inscription informs him that it is indeed « the wheel of the Law of the Blessed One » which is represented. The symbol, therefore, if translated into the style of the later schools, is the exact equivalent of an image of an instructing, and consequently converting, Buddha. On each side, standing in a devout attitude with joined hands, is a personage in splendid lay costume, such as India has always indifferently conceived its kings or its gods (¹). Accordingly it is impossible for us in the presence of this group not to think of Buddha attended by Indra and Brahmâ, in the presence of this edifice not to think of the *maṇḍapa* constructed for the purpose of the « great miracle ». Cunningham, with his accustomed instinct, has already connected with this bas-relief the passage in the *Divyâvadâna* translated by Burnouf, which does precisely on this occasion make the king of Koçala betake himself « in his good chariot » to the presence of the Master: but he did not follow out the identification to the end (²). In truth, we see no reason for stopping half way.