Last Existence: Māra's assault

A relief depicting a scene from the Last existence. The base consists of a plain fillet. On each side there is a vertical continuous rebated joint. On the bottom there are two rectangular sockets. The back face shows deep parallel vertical chisel marks. A socket for cramp is visible on each side of the top face. The narrative scene depicts Māra’s assault. The malevolent deity Māra tries to prevent the Bodhisattva from achieving Enlightenment by launching his army of demons against him and sending his beautiful daughters to seduce him. The Bodhisattva remains steadfast, his inner peace triumphs over Māra and he achieves Enlightenment. The Bodhisattva sits in dhyanamudrā on a seat in front of which there are two warrior figures about to fall to the ground. Between them there is probably a protome. The Buddha is wrapped in the overrobe with covered feet and holds the hem in his left hand. He has a nimbus with a double plain border, above his head there is the umbrella shaped crown of a tree with lanceolate leaves. Besides the Buddha, to his left, there is a princely figure with joined hand, turned toward the Bodhisattva and slightly bowing. He wears a turban, a paridhāna and an uttarīya and has a plain nimbus. Next to him one of Māra’s daughters dancing. On top of these figures, emerging from the background, Vajrāpaṇi and a warrior are depicted. The warrior carries a shield in the left hand, and wears a breast disk with crossing straps. Unidentifiable figures flank the Buddha on his right side.