Last Existence: First Sermon, Buddha’s death

A fragment of a relief preserving the half-upper section of two scenes from the Buddha’s Last Existence, separated by a framed half-column of the Gandharan-Corinthian type. The cornice is decorated with a row of alternating rosettes and vertical acanthus leaves. The top face shows a rectangular socket. In the scene on the left, a circular nail hole is drilled between the monk and Vajrapāṇi. Vertical tool marks run on the back face. The scene on the right displays the First Sermon. After attaining Enlightenment in Bodh Gayā, the Buddha travels to Sarnath. In the Deer Park, he teaches the dharma to the five ascetics with whom he had shared years of practice. Only the bust of the Buddha and two monks are preserved from the scene. The Buddha was shown sitting frontally. He has a plain nimbus, from each side of which a tree branch emerges. The two monks are turning towards him. The scene on the left represents the Buddha’s Death. Despite being ill after receiving food offerings, the Buddha continues to travel to Kapilavastu until he is forced to stop at Kuśīnagara in a śala forest. Here he announces to his retinue that he will soon pass away. He delivers his last prescriptions to Ānanda and ordains his last convert, Subhadra. He then enters his final meditation and dies, achieving his final nirvāṇa. Gods, princes and monks gather to mourn the deceased Buddha. Mahākāśyapa arrives seven days later to pay his last homage. The Buddha is lying on his right side on a bed (not preserved). He has a plain nimbus. Above him is the crown of a three. On the left was a standing monk, of which only the bust remains. In the background, behind the Buddha, is Vajrapāṇi. He is standing and holding the vajra in his left hand while raising the right to the head in a gesture of mourning.