Last Existence: Visit of Indra

Part of a relief possibly depicting the Visit of Indra. The Buddha is meditating in a cave when the god Indra approaches him with the gandharva Pañcasika. The gandharva plays the harp to draw the Buddha’s attention. The latter eventually answers Indra’s questions on the causes of suffering in living beings. The base is plain. A disk is carved inside a cave. It features a plain field and a wide-border divided by a plain fillet. The border is decorated with radiating drop-shaped sunbeams. Behind the disk, the right knee of the Buddha sitting in padmāsana emerges. The cave was surrounded by flames, remains of which are still visible on both sides. On the right, the right hand and foot of a figure are preserved. A globular vase with central band is depicted on the ground.