Last Existence: Unidentified scene, Visit to the Ascetics

Part of a curvilinear frieze depicting scenes from the Last Existence. There are large vertical tool marks on the back and there is a socket for cramp at the right end of the top side. The base is a plain fillet, the cornice depicts a row of tangential half double concentric disks with central small circle. Of the first scene only remains two headless standing figures. They are both in left profile. The first one wears paridhāna and uttarīya and reaches behind with the right hand to collect something from a basin (or large bowl?) held by the figure behind him. This second figure wears a short-sleeved tunic. This figure seems to emerge from an architecture, probably a door. The second scene depicts the Visit to the Ascetic. Siddhārtha enters a grove where he meets a group of brahmins. One of them describes to him the ascetic practices. Siddhārtha, is standing in three quarter profile slightly bowing toward an ascetic. He holds a hem of the overrobe with his left hand, while the right is up probably in a gesture of conversation/question. He has a plain nimbus. He is followed by Vajrapaṇi, that is only wearing a short dhotī leaving a protruding belly uncovered. He holds the vajra in his left hand. The right hand is up in an unidentified gesture, or probably holding something. He has short curly hair. Vajrapaṇi emerges from a city door, he and Siddhārtha are leaving the city to enter the wilderness where the ascetics reside. In front of the bodhisattva there is a seated elderly ascetic. He sits on a low stool with the ankles crossed, the upper body slightly tilted toward his interlocutor. His left hand is placed on the corresponding shoulder, his right rests on the leg while holding a water flask. He has a beard, and his air is stacked in a coil. Behind him another similar elderly ascetic kneels on the ground in right profile, the left knee up and leaning on a staff. Behind the ascetics there are tree branches to represent the wilderness. The two scenes are separated by a framed seated figure wearing a long tunic. His feet are placed on a low feet stool, the right hand is up to hold an unidentified object, probably a flower. The left arm rests on the leg. He has short curly hair.