Last Existence: Taming of the Elephant; Unidentified scenes

Part of a frieze with separated scenes from the Buddha’s Last Existence. The scenes are divided by encased semi-columns of Gandharan-Persepolitan style with composite zoomorphic capital. Only the central scene can be identified, the other two being fragmentary and only showing two figures. The base consists of a plain fillet, the cornice has a row of saw-teeth topped by a projecting thin plain fillet. On the back there are parallel vertical flat chisel marks. At both ends of the top face there is a rectangular socket for cramp. The scene on the right shows two elderly brahmins in right profile; one is dressed in a tunic with half naked chest and has his hair with frontal loop, he carries an unidentified object in the raised hands. The other brahmin is dressed as a wanderer with his head covered and carrying a bindle. A dividing element separates the two elderly brahmins from a depiction of the Taming of the Elephant. The story tells of one of the many attempts of the jealous Devadatta to kill his cousin the Buddha. One day, when the Buddha was in Rājagṛha, Devadatta released a mad elephant to harm the Blessed One. The animal rushes against the Buddha but its fury is contained by his loving-kindness. Caressing the forehead of the elephant with a calming hand, the Buddha pacifies the animal. An monk holding an alms bowl in his left hand stands on the right. In front of him is Vajrapāṇi, shown in left profile with his head turned backward toward the monk. He wears a short tunic of exomis type, holds the vajra with his raised left hand, his hair is flat on top with curls around the head. At the centre of the scene stands the Buddha petting the forehead of an elephant with his right hand. He has a plain nimbus and the hair pulled back in locks with separated uṣṇīṣa. The animal is shown walking in right profile with only the forelegs visible while emerging from a large rectangular gate. On the upper right side, a figure assists to the scene from a window with the left hand kept on the mouth in a gesture of surprise. The final scene of the relief only depicts two figures in left profile, the first one being a monk.