The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c9.69

c9.69

But, first of all, a question arises as to whether we must restrict ourselves to merely stating, or whether we can succeed in explaining, the unexpected choice of the artists. If we consider only the stele in question (pl. XIX, 1), it seems that we may immediately see a reason, although an external one, for the course taken by its author. Let us observe, in fact, that of the four great supplementary scenes of the legend of Buddha there are two which absolutely necessitate a standing posture : they are the subjugation of the wild elephant and the descent from heaven. A legitimate care for symmetry in the alternation of the poses would have demanded a sitting posture in the corresponding scenes, not only in the monkey’s offering, but also in the great miracle of Çrâvastî. Such, at least, is the idea imperiously suggested by an examination of the apportionment of the subjects on the new stele — the only one, let us remember, that we possess with the eight scenes complete (cf. the table below).