Last Existence: Princely Life; figures

A panel with three registers of decoration, the lower one representing scenes from the last existence. There are vertical parallel chisel marks on the back. The base is a plain projecting band, the cornice is a row of vertical separate acanthus leaves with plain leaves behind. The lower register is separated by the central one by a row of overlapping pipal leaves between plain fillets, the upper registers are separated by a wavy line with pearls in the hollows. The lower register depicts two scenes from the Last Existence separated by an encased semi-column of Gandharan-Corinthian type, an identical dividing element is depicted to the left of the second scene. The first scene depicts Siddhārtha in School. Prince Siddhārtha is taken to school to be educated as befits his rank. He proves to be well-learned in all the sciences, including writing. The bodhisattva stands in the centre turned to his right toward the teacher. He holds an identified object in his hands. Siddhārtha wears paridhāna and uttarīya and has a plain nimbus around the head. His uṣṇīṣa is still visible on top of the damaged head. Behind him stand two figures, probably attendants, holding long rectangular writing implements vertically in their left hands. The larger one – depicted in the foreground – wears a long dhotī and a necklace and holds something in the right hand. In front of the bodhisattva sits a teacher in right profile on a low decorated stool, with the feet resting on a small foot stool. He wears a long dhotī, a necklace and earrings, on the knees he has a writing implement and holds a stylus in his right. Behind the teacher there is a tree with upward branches with lanceolate leaves. In the hollows to both sides of the bodhisattva’s nimbus emerge two male heads from the background. The next scene depicts the Archery Competition. In order to win the young Yaśodharā over, Prince Siddhārtha proves his physical prowess and skills in archery, swordsmanship, wrestling, and other athletic practices. Siddhārtha engages in an archery competition in which he is asked to use a bow nobody could bend to shoot an arrow at a distant target, succeeding in front of the audience. Siddhārtha is represented at the centre of the scene, left leg flexed forward and back to the viewer, a vertical grove on the back highlights the posture and the muscular tension. He wears a short dhotī pulled up between the legs, while drawing back the string of his bow. The arrow touches a target attached to a tree with branches going upward and downward (?) and hold in place by a small naked boy. The boy seems to sit on a small stool. A male figure of an attendant is depicted behind the Bodhisattva, almost as emerging from the background. To the right the scene is closed by a female figure seated on a throne with turned legs. The female figure – probably Yashodhāra attending the competitions – wears a sarī, a necklace, bracelets and large earrings. She holds an unidentified object in her raise right hand. Her hair is pulled up with a large ornament on top. The central register of the panel depicts a pipal scroll. The upper register depicts five pairs in various dancing positions. On the right end of this frieze there is a tree with umbrella shaped crown, whose lobate leaves are disposed in concentric parallel overlapping lines.