Last Existence: Story of the White Elephant

A fragment of a relief depicting the Story of the White Elephant. Devadatta, Siddhārtha’s cousin, kills the state white elephant at the city gate of Kapilavastu, blocking the passage. After Ānanda’s unsuccessful attempt to throw the animal away, the Bodhisattva managed to hurl it out the city’s wall thanks to his physical strength. Siddhārtha is shown in left three-quarter view with the head turning back. He is carrying the corpse of the elephant on his right shoulder, while the left hand is on the leg. The nimbus is plain bordered. His hair is parted in the middle with lateral continuous waves. The uṣṇīṣa is separate and tied by a plain string at its base. The figure is bare-chested and wears a paridhāna with rolled girdle knotted on the left side. He has cylindrical gauge earrings, a long multiple strands necklace with a central stone, and wristlets.