Dublin Core
Title
Eight Great Events Stele
Subject
The Eight great events of the Buddha's Life
Description
Andagu plaque with the eight great events of the Buddha's Life. The middle of the plaque displays a Buddhaimage. It is surrounded by images of the other seven events and flanked by two bodhisattvas. It also displays the events of the seven weeks after the Buddha gained englightenment at Bodh Gaya. This type of depiction suggests that the plaque is from Burma (Myanmar).
The central image depicts the Buddha sitting in meditation under a tree, holding his hands in the bhumisparsha mudra. He is surrounded by small images of Mara's demons. The central image is therefore the scene of the Buddha's englightenment. On the right side of the central image from bottom to top are the birth of the Buddha, his first sermon and the taming of the elephant Nalagiri depicted. The other side displays the offering of honey, the miracle of multiplication and his descent from Tāvatiṃsa heaven. The last of the eight events is found on the top of the plaque, the Buddha's death and Parinirvāṇa.
Regarding the seven stations , which refers to the first week after the englightenment of the Buddha., the first week in displayed in the main image, showing the Buddha in his first week sitting under the bodhi tree and meditating. On the top beside the main image there are two standing buddha statues, showing the second week, in which the Buddha gaized at the bodhi tree and the third week, in which he walked at the jeweled path. The next ones are two sitting buddha statues, displaying the fourth week, in which the buddha was sitting in a jeweled chamber in meditation and the fifth week, in which the buddha was sitting under a banyan tree. The last two sitting buddha statues show the sixth week, in which the Buddha was sheltered by the hood of the serpent (naga) Muchalinda and the seventh week, in which he accepted food from two merchants (Trapussa and Bhallika).
The central image depicts the Buddha sitting in meditation under a tree, holding his hands in the bhumisparsha mudra. He is surrounded by small images of Mara's demons. The central image is therefore the scene of the Buddha's englightenment. On the right side of the central image from bottom to top are the birth of the Buddha, his first sermon and the taming of the elephant Nalagiri depicted. The other side displays the offering of honey, the miracle of multiplication and his descent from Tāvatiṃsa heaven. The last of the eight events is found on the top of the plaque, the Buddha's death and Parinirvāṇa.
Regarding the seven stations , which refers to the first week after the englightenment of the Buddha., the first week in displayed in the main image, showing the Buddha in his first week sitting under the bodhi tree and meditating. On the top beside the main image there are two standing buddha statues, showing the second week, in which the Buddha gaized at the bodhi tree and the third week, in which he walked at the jeweled path. The next ones are two sitting buddha statues, displaying the fourth week, in which the buddha was sitting in a jeweled chamber in meditation and the fifth week, in which the buddha was sitting under a banyan tree. The last two sitting buddha statues show the sixth week, in which the Buddha was sheltered by the hood of the serpent (naga) Muchalinda and the seventh week, in which he accepted food from two merchants (Trapussa and Bhallika).
Source
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/705435?&searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=astamahapratiharya&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=1
Publisher
Metropolitan Museum of Arts, 1000 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10028, Department of Asian Art, Accession Nr. 2015.782.3
Date
11th-12th century
Contributor
Gift of Jeff Soref and Paul Lombardi, in honor of Natalie Soref, 2015.
Rights
no copyright, (CCO 1.0)
Format
H. 25,4 cm, W. 15,2 cm., D. 5,4 cm.
Type
Stone plaque
Coverage
Eastern India (Bihar)/ but Burmese origin (Myanmar)