Last Existence: Visit of the Ascetics

Fragment of a relief depicting the Visit of the Ascetics. The Brahman teacher Bāvari sends his sixteen brahmin students to the Buddha to answer questions about the goal of his teachings and how to attain the same. Each of the sixteen ascetics pays the Buddha a visit in Śrāvastī and astounded by his teachings, they eventually convert to Buddhism. The base of the relief was moulded. In the figured field on the right, a young ascetic is carved slightly turning towards his left. His right hand was raised, the left is holding a kamaṇḍalu. He wears a paridhāna. On the left is another ascetic, possibly elderly, standing in the right three-quarter view. He was dressed in a loincloth with upper hem with loops, of which traces are still discernible.