Last Existence: Renunciation to Princely Life

Part of a frieze preserving two separate scenes from the Renunciation to Princely Life. The scenes are separated by a pilaster of the Gandharan-Corinthian type with a buddha against the shaft. The buddha is sitting in dhyānamudrā and padmāsana over an open lotus with reverse petal. He is wrapped in the saṃghāti with covered hands and feet. The nimbus is plain. The same dividing element are carved on the sides of the relief. The base is plain, the cornice consists of a plain fillet below and of a row of upright ogival leaves above. Both the base and the cornice run on the sides of the frieze. The proper left side of the top face preserves a vertical, rectangular socket. A Kharoṣṭhī mark is carved next to it. The bottom face has two horizontal rectangular tenons. Two vertical sockets are carved on the sides of the back face. The scene on the right represents the Bodhisattva watching sleeping women. When his father Śuddhodana opposed his resolve to leave the palace, the bodhisattva returns to his apartments where beautiful women await to entertain him. As they succumb to sleep, he is disgusted by the view of their distorted bodies. Siddhārtha is sitting frontally on a bed, his left foot is on a footstool, the right is on the ground. His left hand is resting on the left, while the right is either in abhayamudrā or taking a turban presented by Chandaka on the left. The nimbus preserves traces of a plain border. The bodhisattva is wearing a paridhāna, an uttarīya, and wristlets with a raised edge. Behind him, Yaśodhara is sleeping on her left side over the bed and with two pillows. She seems to be dressed in a long mantle and wears a large wreath, earrings, ring-shaped earrings, and a long necklace. The bed features turned legs and a drape hanging from the front. A large umbrella with plain canopy (no shaft can be seen) is carved above Siddhārtha. On the left are Chandaka and another male figure, both standing in a three-quarter view. Chandaka is presenting a turban to the bodhisattva, the outline of which are still discernible. The charioteer wears a paridhāna, an uttarīya, and a turban with diadem. The next figure has joined hands. The background shows five figures all carved in bust and turning towards Siddhārtha. The first four from the right are female. They wear a large wreath and ring-shaped earrings. The last one, emerging from the upper left corner of the scene, is a male with a turban. The scene on the left depicts the Great Departure. Prince Siddhārtha leaves the palace at night mounting his horse Kaṇṭhaka and accompanied by his loyal charioteer Chandaka. According to Buddhist literary accounts, spirits supported the hooves of the horse to prevent noise and wake up Siddhārtha’s family. On the right, Siddhārtha is riding Kaṇṭhaka, both are depicted in the right profile. The bodhisattva is holding the reins with the left hand. He wears a paridhāna, an uttarīya, and a turban with a fantail. Kaṇṭhaka shows a globular plume. A large umbrella with a plain canopy, identical to that in the previous scene, is carved above Siddhārtha. Two yakṣas are holding Kaṇṭhaka by his hooves. The one the right is shown only by his head emerging from the ground. The one on the left is kneeling and supporting Kaṇṭhaka’s legs (only the right one is carved) on the shoulders. On the left, a figure alternatively identified as Māra, Indra, or Vaiśravana-Kubera is standing in a three-quarter view. His left hand is holding a long sword, the outline of which is preserved, while the left is open down with the palm facing out. He is possibly dressed in a long tunic with shoes, and wears a short flat band necklace, ring-shaped earrings, and a skull-cap turban with zones, fantail, and a central stone. At least three male figures are carved in the background. One is shown only by his head turned towards Siddhārtha. He seems to wear a turban with possibly freely superimposed bands. The second figure, carved only by the head too, is found behind Kaṇṭhaka. He is looking at Māra/Indra/Vaiśravana-Kubera. He wears a turban, possibly of the crossed-bands type with globular diadem. The third and last figure was depicted behind Māra/Indra/Vaiśravana-Kubera. Only scanty remains of him are preserved.