Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates ‘Sumana the Gardener’ of the study on Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology, including museum exhibitions of the major archeological antiquities. These pages show how the Buddhist establishment of Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) survived from 4th century BCE to 14th century CE. It includes references and translations of episodes of Buddha’s life drawn from the Avadanas and Jatakas which are illustrated in Amaravati art.
Sumanā the Gardener
[Full title: Depiction of scenes from the life of Buddha: Sumanā the Gardener]
Story:-
The story of Sumanā, the gardener is given in the Dhammapada-atthakatha.
Sumanā, the gardener used to give king Bimbisāra five measures of jasmine flowers every morning. One day as he was entering the city with flowers for the king he saw Buddha surrounded by monks. He saw six coloured rays coming out of his body. Viewing this the gardener decided to honour the Master with flowers. He knew that for this act the king could kill or banish him from his kingdom. But he decided to honour the Master. As he threw the first two handfuls of flowers they remained suspended in the air like a canopy over his head. Two more handfuls descended like a curtain and when all the eight handfuls were given they surrounded Buddha. The flowers accompanied the Master as he moved. The gardener saw the miracle and paid homage to the Master.
At home his wife asked him for flowers. When she heard about the incident she scolded him. She feared that the king might cut off the limbs of the offender. She went to the king, explained the situated and added that she had abandoned her husband.
The king was a disciple of Buddha. He proceeded to the Master. He invited him to accept his hospitality. The flowers remained in their position and Buddha offered thanks to the king. Then he returned to the monastery. The king sent for the gardener. He questioned him and knowing the situation presented him with eight fold gifts[1].
Depiction:-
A coping fragment preserved in the Madras Government Museum illustrates this incident. In this mutilated fragment one can see two scenes in the house and the third appears like a rock mountain to the extreme right. On the left there is a young man, that is, the gardener reverently bowing down. There is a turbaned man below with hands in adoration and beside him are seated monks.
The next scene shows a king seated on an elephant with a chawri bearer. They are approaching the arched gateway after the complaint of the gardener’s wife. Another elephant stands to the right of the gateway. Near the gateway is an empty throne on top of which is radiating flames symbolizing Buddha. On top of it are flowers in the shape of an arched gateway. The gardener, the princely men and monks are seated around the throne.[2] (Pl 25c)
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid, pp 186-188.
[2]:
Ibid, pp 186-188, pl XLIX, fig 1.