Last Existence: Birth Cycle

A frieze with two separate scenes from the Last Existence of the Buddha. They are divided by an encased semi-column of the Gandharan-Corinthian type, a second one closes the scene on the left. The base consists of a plain fillet and the cornice of two superimposed plain fillets. On the back face, there are irregular vertical large chisel marks. On the bottom face, at both ends, there are two sockets, and in the centre a large x-shaped mark. A small square socket is also visible on the proper left side of the relief. The first scene on the right represents the Return to Kapilavastu. After his birth in Lumbinī, the infant Siddhārtha is brought back to Kapilavastu on a chariot. A now lost chariot drawn by two maned lions transports Māyā, who is holding the infant Siddhārtha in her lap. The woman is shown frontal as if crouching on the back of the lion. The next scene represents Siddhārtha’s horoscope. Asita, an old ṛṣi, inspects the body of the infant Siddhārtha and recognizing the marks of a great man (mahāpuruṣa), he predicts to Śuddhodana that in the future, his son will either become a universal monarch (cakravartin) or a buddha. In the centre of the scene, King Śuddhodana sits on a two-seats backless throne covered with a drape. His feet are resting on a low footstool. The head and bust are tilted to his right, the left hand is lying on the knee, while the right hand is raised, probably in a gesture of conversation/question. He wears a paridhāna and an uttarīya, a thick necklace, large earrings, and a turban with a front knot. On the left of the king, a woman (arguably Māyā or Mahāprajāpatī, Māyā’s sister), is sitting on the same large throne with her feet resting on a low footstool. She wears a long garment with an uttarīya hanging down to her right leg. She wears a large wreath on the head with a loop of hair on the nape, large earrings, a necklace, and bangles. Her right hand is raised holding a large lotus flower, the left arm rests on the thigh. Next to the couple on the left, Asita sits on a stool. He is holding the infant Siddhārtha in his arms. In the background, in between figures, the bust of a male figure wearing a turban emerges. He seems to be holding a cloth.