Why the Original Sanchi Stupa Had No Images of Buddha | Sanchi - Storytrails
Every sight has a story to tell
Become a member

Why the Original Sanchi Stupa Had No Images of Buddha | Sanchi

Did you know the first human images of the Buddha appeared nearly 500 years after his death? Before that, artists used symbols to represent him. You can see many such symbols at the Sanchi Stupa.

Image Attributions:


1.Monks Ancient Temple

Photo by  a href=“https://stockcake.com/i/monks-ancient-temple_159235_22176”  Stockcake /a


2.Monks Meditating Serenely

Photo by  a href=“https://stockcake.com/i/monks-meditating-serenely_1321515_874077”  Stockcake /a


3.Northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura, Gupta period – Seated Buddha – 1973.214 – Cleveland Museum of Art

https://clevelandart.org/art/1973.214, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_India,_Uttar_Pradesh,_Mathura,_Gupta_period_-_Seated_Buddha_-_1973.214_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art.jpg 


4.Head of Buddha – Kushan-Gupta Period – ACCN 1-2908 – Government Museum – Mathura 2013-02-23 5525

Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Head_of_Buddha_-_Kushan-Gupta_Period_-_ACCN_1-2908_-_Government_Museum_-_Mathura_2013-02-23_5525.JPG


5.Fragmentary Buddhist text – Gandhara birchbark scrolls (1st C), part 31 – BL Or. 14915

British Library, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fragmentary_Buddhist_text_-_Gandhara_birchbark_scrolls_(1st_C),_part_31_-_BL_Or._14915.jpg


6.Manuscript BnF pali 715-A

Bibliothèque nationale de France, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manuscrit_BnF_pali_715-A.jpg


7. 078 Buddha Teaching Abhidhamma in Heaven

Anandajoti, CC BY-SA 4.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:078_Buddha_Teaching_Abhidhamma_in_Heaven.jpg


8.Parinirvana of the Buddha, Gandhara, 3rd century AD, schist – Ethnological Museum, Berlin – DSC01640

Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parinirvana_of_the_Buddha,_Gandhara,_3rd_century_AD,_schist_-_Ethnological_Museum,_Berlin_-_DSC01640.JPG


9.Stupas around the Dhamekh Stupa, Sarnath

 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stupas_around_the_Dhamekh_Stupa,_Sarnath.jpg


10.Sermon in the Deer Park depicted at Wat Chedi Liem-KayEss-1

Photo of painting of Gautama Buddha’s first sermon at the Deer Park taken by user:KayEss The picture is at Wat Chedi Liem

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sermon_in_the_Deer_Park_depicted_at_Wat_Chedi_Liem-KayEss-1.jpeg


11.Dharma Wheel (2)

Shazz, Esteban.barahona, CC BY-SA 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dharma_Wheel_(2).svg


12.Standing Buddha-MA 6284-IMG 8459-gradient

Rama, CC BY-SA 3.0 FR  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/fr/deed.en  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Standing_Buddha-MA_6284-IMG_8459-gradient.jpg


13.Kanishka Buddha

Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com, CC BY-SA 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kanishka_Buddha.jpg 


14.Gandhara Buddha (tnm)

Tokyo National Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gandhara_Buddha_(tnm).jpeg


15.Tapa Shotor seated Buddha (Niche V1)

Marek Gawęcki, CC BY-SA 4.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tapa_Shotor_seated_Buddha_(Niche_V1).jpg


16.Afghanistan, Gandhara, Hadda, late Kushan Period – Seated Buddha – 1967.39 – Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Afghanistan,_Gandhara,_Hadda,_late_Kushan_Period_-_Seated_Buddha_-_1967.39_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art.jpg


17.Buddha, Gandhara, 2nd or 3rd century, stone, Museum Humnum, 258909

Zde, CC BY-SA 4.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0  , via Wikimedia Commons 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buddha,_Gandhara,_2nd_or_3rd_century,_stone,_Museum_Humnum,_258909.jpg


18.Gandhara Buddha, 5th or 6th century, stucco, Museum Humanum, 259004

Zde, CC BY-SA 4.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gandhara_Buddha,_5th_or_6th_century,_stucco,_Museum_Humanum,_259004.jpg


19.Head of Buddha – Kushan Period – Chaubara Mound – ACCN A-27 – Government Museum – Mathura 2013-02-24 6026

Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Head_of_Buddha_-_Kushan_Period_-_Chaubara_Mound_-_ACCN_A-27_-_Government_Museum_-_Mathura_2013-02-24_6026.JPG


20.Head of Buddha – Kushan-Gupta Period – ACCN 1-2908 – Government Museum – Mathura 2013-02-23 5525

Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Head_of_Buddha_-_Kushan-Gupta_Period_-_ACCN_1-2908_-_Government_Museum_-_Mathura_2013-02-23_5525.JPG


21.Standing Buddha Installed by Buddist Monk Yasadinna – Circa 5th Century CE – Jamalpur Mound – ACCN 00-A-5 – Government Museum Mathura Golden background

Statue: Biswarup GangulyBackground: Gary Todd, CC BY 3.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Standing_Buddha_Installed_by_Buddist_Monk_Yasadinna_-_Circa_5th_Century_CE_-_Jamalpur_Mound_-_ACCN_00-A-5_-_Government_Museum_Mathura_Golden_background.jpg


22.Buddhist Expansion

Gunawan Kartapranata, CC BY-SA 3.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buddhist_Expansion.svg


23.Buddha Expounding the Dharma

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/74832 

2016-05-21 Luoyang Longmen Grottoes anagoria 10

Anagoria, CC BY 3.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0  , via Wikimedia Commons 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2016-05-21_Luoyang_Longmen_Grottoes_anagoria_10.JPG


24.Thai – Seated Buddha in “Maravijaya” – Walters 542520

Walters Art Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thai_-_Seated_Buddha_in_%22Maravijaya%22_-_Walters_542520.jpg

25.Kamakura Budda Daibutsu front 1885

Dirk Beyer, CC BY-SA 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/  , via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kamakura_Budda_Daibutsu_front_1885.jpg

END OF STORY

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Pinterest
Email

You might also be interested in

Bateshwar Temple

The Strange Partnership that saved Bateshwar | Madhya Pradesh

In the ravines of Chambal in Madhya Pradesh, lies Bateshwar, a complex of 200 ancient temples. For centuries they lay in ruins, swallowed by forest. Until about 20 years ago, when, K.K. Muhammed, an archaeologist with the Archaeological Survey of India, teamed up with Nirbhay Singh Gujjar, one of Chambal’s most feared dacoits, to bring the heritage site back to life. This is the story of an unusual partnership that saved Bateshwar.
Chausath Yogini Mitaoli

Chausath Yogini Temple | Mitaoli

The yoginis are at once, both alluring and fearsome. They had special, circular temples built for their worship, the nature of which remained esoteric. But about a thousand years ago, the cult of Yogini worship completely disappeared from public knowledge. What do we know about this strange cult of goddess worship in India?

The Buddhist Relics of Amaravati | Egmore Museum, Chennai

The 2000 year old Amaravati marbles at the Egmore Museum in Chennai are the remnants of a Buddhist stupa built by the mighty Satavahana kings. Who were these Hindu kings that created such beautiful Buddhist art? What does a small statue of Hercules sitting amidst Buddhist relics at the Museum tell us about the evolution of Buddhism? Watch this video to know all this and more!

Ancient stone caskets that stored Buddha’s relics | Sanchi Stupa, India

Buddha died around 483 BCE. His remains were stored in 8 stone caskets. Emperor Ashoka had an idea – a vision to spread Buddhism through these relics. How did he do it? This story explores the journey of Buddha’s cremated remains from nearly 2500 years ago to locations that have become important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, one of which is the Sanchi Stupa.