Last Existence: The Gods entreat the Buddha to preach

A frieze relief depicting the moment when the Gods entreat the Buddha to preach. In some accounts, the Buddha is reluctant to teach the dharma soon after attaining the Enlightenment. The gods Brahmā and Indra urge the Buddha to overcome his hesitation, persuading him to deliver his teachings. The base is plain. The scene is encased on the left by a framed semi-column of the Gandharan-Corinthian type. A rectangular section tenon is carved on the right-proper side of the top face and on the left-proper side of the lower face, respectively. The back face shows horizontal marks of chisel. The Buddha is sitting in padmāsana and dhyānamudrā on a throne and under an umbrella-shaped crown of a śāla tree. He has globular eyes and arched eyebrows. The hair is rendered in vertical waves, the uṣṇīṣa is separated with a ring at its base. The head is surrounded by an umbrella-shaped compact crown of a three with lanceolate leaves. The saṃghāti, with curved neckline, shows a dense pattern of folds. The throne is carved onto the relief base and features two superimposed fillets on both the base and the cornice, and a covering; the body is plain. On the right, the foot of Indra is preserved. On the left, Brahmā is kneeling in right profile with joined hands. He has a beard and his hair is pulled up in a coil. He wears a paridhāna and an uttarīya. Above the god and in the background, a male figure is throwing an offering with the right hand. His hair is straight, with a fringe and a small knot. He wears a paridhāna, an uttarīya, earrings, a long necklace with multiple strands, and wristlets with raised edge.