Last Existence: Buddha’s Death

The lower part of a simple false niche depicting the Buddha’s Death in the central nave. 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 base and sides are framed by a continuous plain listel. The bottom face preserves two rectangular tenon on the sides. The right, left, and bottom faces show tool marks. The right and left outer jambs are defined by a vertical straight festoon. Both lateral naves display four figured fields in as many superimposed registers. From the lower one, the figured fields are separated by a straight festoon and a row of rosettes. The figured fields on the right each show an identical male figure, possibly monks, carved in bust, facing inwards and with joined hands. The left figured fields are also carved with male figures (and possibly monks as well) facing inwards, but they are all different. The figure in the lower field is depicted in bust and standing, and is holding an object in his right hand, probably a bunch of flowers. That in the above field, again carved in bust, has joined hands. The figure in the third field is kneeling and joining his hand. The last figure, in bust and possibly with joined hands, shows a disproportionate head size. All figures are encased between half semi-columns of the Gandharan-Corinthian type. The figured field of the central nave is set within a door-like structure featuring plain jambs and an architrave. The Buddha is depicted in parinirvāṇa with uncovered head and both hands resting on the bed. This latter shows turned legs and a drape on the front. On both sides of the bed are two standing male figures. That on the right is shown in the left profile and bowing at the bed while touching it with the left hand. He wears a paridhāna, an uttarīya, and a flat band wristlet. The opposite figure is carved in three-quarter view and with joined hands. He is dressed in a paridhāna and has a short flat band necklace. Three male figures are sitting on the ground before the bed. The first one on the right is shown frontally, his hands are at the nape of the neck in a gesture of mourning. He has globular eyes. The figure wears a turban, probably a skull-cap one with a fantail and diadem. Next is Subhadrā, the Buddha’s last convert, sitting back-turned in padmāsana and dhyānamudrā. The third figure is depicted frontally, his hands are raised. He wears a short flat band necklace and flat band wristlets. In the background, the outline of at least seven busts and of the crown of a tree are discernible.