Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment

[Full title: Depiction of scenes from the life of Buddha: Enlightenment]

Story:-

Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment that finally made him a “Buddha” took place at during the night following his success over Māra. Sitting under the Bodhi tree, the Bodhisattva entered the first level of meditative trance. He then proceeded to enter the second, third and fourth levels of meditative trance. The fourth level of trance is the stage from which Bodhisattva attained Enlightenment. At this stage of trance, the meditater attained the six “super knowledge” (abhijna). Buddha came to realize that the heap of suffering, that is, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, depression and dismay is due to rebirth. This is due to desire. This is again due to ignorance. The elimination of ignorance will result in the elimination of chain of rebirth and suffering. Buddha’s doctrinal realization marked the end of his Enlightenment experience.^[1] The Mahāvagga^[2] and Nidānakathā^[3] contains the description of this episode.

Depiction:-

Several narratives from Amarāvatī illustrate Buddha’s Enlightenment. A drum slab from Amarāvatī housed in the British Museum consists of the Enlightenment of Buddha on one side and a decorated stūpa on the other. The Enlightenment scene shows the empty throne under the Bodhi tree. At the base of the throne area is sculpted a pair of footprints bearing dharmacakras (wheel of law). Five worshippers surround the throne and a pair of kinnaras (semi-divine beings) hover above the tree. At the base of the tree is a trio of umbrellas^[4].

A badly abraded dome slab from Amarāvatī preserved in the British Museum consists of three registers narrating the Enlightenment of Buddha, the first sermon and the Mahāparinirvāṇa from the bottom. In the Enlightenment register the central portion of the relief consists of the bodhi tree under which the Enlightenment occurred. It is shown above an empty throne with cushions and a foot stool. Two standing male attendants flank the throne. Both the figures carry pūrṇaghaṭa on their raised left hands. On the right and left sides of the panel stand female figures and above them are flying figures with offering bowls on the raised left hands^[5].

Again the same episode is chiseled on another dome slab preserved in the British Museum. Here the slab consists of two registers of which the lower register depicts the Enlightenment of Buddha. Here the bodhi tree is mounted on a square platform. Flying above the tree is a pair of worshippers with offerings on their raised left hands. On either side of the platform is a pair of standing female worshippers carrying pūrṇaghaṭas on their raised left hands. Standing in the foreground and at the sides of the platform is a pair of male worshippers^[6].

A drum slab from Amarāvatī preserved in the British Museum consists of three registers of which the bottom register depicts bodhi tree above the empty throne symbolizing Enlightenment. The throne is surrounded by male and female figures and a group of ecstatic female worshippers at the foot of the throne. The two males flanking the throne carry pūrṇaghaṭas. The panel is bordered by a row of running animals^[7]. Another drum slab from Amarāvatī illustrate the worship of Bodhi tree at the lowest register. This is preserved in the Archaeological Museum, Amarāvatī^[8] (Pl 23b).

A coping stone from Amarāvatī consists of a series of reliefs associated with Enlightenment. The stone is in the Madras Government Museum collection. In the first scene a man is visible flying above the city. The next scene illustrates an empty palanquin, a horse and various steeds near the city gate beside which are dwarfs. Above it are dwarfs carrying two men approaching a vṛkṣa caitya pavilion around a bodhi tree. In this third scene one can see the pavilion with surrounding rail, the bodhi tree with empty throne and feet and two worshippers. Next to it again is the palanquin with two riders borne by dwarfs and leonine steeds galloping in front. Below this is a host of dwarf follower. They move towards an empty throne with flaming pillar crowned by the triśūla. Before it are adorers^[9].

The Enlightenment episode was depicted in reliefs from Nāgārjunakoṇḍa.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Strong John S, Op.cit, pp 73-76

[2]:

Davids T.W Rhys and Oldenberg Hermann (Tr), 1974, Op.cit, pp 73-78.

[3]:

Davids T.W Rhy, 1972, Op.cit, pp 196-198.

[4]:

Knox Robert, Op.cit, p 119, fig 60.

[5]:

Ibid, pp 163-164, fig 88

[6]:

Ibid, p 164, fig 89

[7]:

Ibid, p 122, fig 63.

[8]:

Acc No. 56, (Old Acc. No. 61), Limestone, Measurement 232 x 83 x 17 cm, Archaeological Museum, Amaravati, Archaeological Survey of India.

[9]:

Sivaramamurti C, Op.cit, pp 179-180, pl XLII, fig 1.