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PLATE 1. 




1739, BODHISATTVA SlDDHABTHA, pp. 9, 11, 27, 69* 77, 101. 



HANDBOOK 



TO THE 



Sculptures in the 
Peshawar Museum 



BY 

H. HARGREAVES, 

Superintendent, Archaeological Survey of India, Frontier Gircle r 
and Honorary Curator, Peshawar Museum* 



REVISED EDITION 




CALCUTTA: GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 

CENTRAL PUBLICATION BRANCH 

1930 



To 

D. BRAINERD SPOONER, 

" These to his memory 
since he held them dear." 



PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION 

So great was the demand for Dr. Spooner's Hand* 
book to the Sculptures in the Peshawar Museum that the 
edition published in 1909 was out of print in 1918. 

A re-issue of the original handbook would not, how. 
ever, have met the needs of visitors, for in the interven- 
ing years the sculptures had doubled in number. More- 
over, new legendary scenes required explanation and, 
in the light of increasing knowledge, reliefs of which the 
purport was once doubttul had become readily recogniz- 
able. A revised edition was, therefore, called for one 
which should deal with the enlarged collection and, at 
the same time, embody the results of later discoveries 
in this field of Buddhist art. 

Although the matter is largely new, and a chapter 
has been added on the History and Art of Gandhara, 
the general arrangement of the first edition has been pre- 
served and it is hoped that this volume will, like its pre- 
decessor, provide visitors to the Museum with a handbook 
sufficiently explanatory of the sculptures while avoiding 
the excessive details of a catalogue. 

Without the whole-hearted co-operation of M. Dilawar 
Khan, the former Custodian and present Curator of the 
Peshawar Museum, the completion of the Handbook, 
after my transfer from Peshawar, would have been impos- 
sible and for this and assistance in countless directions 
I am his most grateful debtor. 



U PREFACE. 

My obligations to previous writers on this subject are 
those enumerated in the Bibliography and the Preface 
to the First Edition, but to the list of these names I would 
add that of the late Dr. Spooner himself, the first Curator 
of the Peshawar Museum, to whose memory this volume 
is dedicated as a debt of gratitude by his friend, colleague 
and successor. 

H. HARGREAVES. 
PESHAWAR, 

December 30, 1928. 



PREFACE TO THE FIRST HANDBOOK 

THIS Handbook has been written entirely for the 
use of residents in Peshawar and other visitors to the 
Peshawar Museum. It does not claim to be a catalogue 
of the sculptures, but is merely a popular guide-book 
that shall explain the sculptures to those on the spot 
and, it is hoped, make them more interesting. Contro- 
versial matters have not been altogether excluded, for 
it has been felt that possibly visitors would like to know 
the nature of the problems involved in the study of this 
school of art ; but tedious archaeological arguments 
have been avoided, and the specialist will observe that 
such new theories as are advanced here and there are 
merely stated rather than developed. The author hopes, 
however, that all controversial points have been duly 
indicated as such. 

A word as to the arrangement of the sculptures may 
be appropriate. Each of the larger collections has been 
sub-divided into groups according to subjects, and these 
groups arranged in the cases in systematic sequence. 
All the sculptures in the Museum, furthermore, have 
been numbered consecutively, beginning in the right- 
hand gallery upstairs. It is hoped that this classifica- 
tion will facilitate the study of the collections. 

My great obligations to M. Foucher, the well-known 
French archaeologist, call for cordial acknowledgment. 
His brilliant work, " L'Art Greco-Bouddhique du Gan- 
dhara", has been constantly referred to, while the 

iii 



IV PREFACED 

second part of the Introduction is little more than a com- 
pilation from his pages. I am also indebted to the 
Reverend Samuel Beal, whose interesting work, " The 
Romantic Legend of Sakya Buddha ", has been most 
helpful in the interpretation of new sculptures; and 
particularly to Mr. Marshall, the Director General of 
Archeology in India, who has very kindly consented to 
edit this Handbook for me. 



D. B. 

PESHAWAR, 
November 11, 1909. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER, PAGE. 

L History and Art of Gandhiira 1 

II. Introduction to the Buddha Legend 10 

III. The Sculptures 48 

APPENDIX. EXCAVATIONS IN GANDHARA 109 

BIBLIOGRAPHY Ill 



LIST OF PLATES 

PLATE 

1. Bodhisattva Siddhartha. (No. 1739.) Frontispiece. 

2. (a) Miracle of Sravasti. (No. 1527.) 
(6) Yakshas and garland. (No. 508.) 

3. Ascetic Buddha. (No. 799). 

4. (a) Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. (No. 200.) 

(5) Four-armed HaritL (No. 1773.) 
(c) Bodhisattva Maitreya. (No. 1866.) 

5. (a) Submission of the Naga Apalala. (No. 28 L.). 

(6) gyama Jataka. (No. 1891). 

6. The Temptation A 
First Sermon B. 



Unidentified Scene 0. 

Devadatta's Assassins 



No. 1844. 



D.l 

Mahaparinirvana E.J 

7. Haritl and Panchika. (No. 241). 

8. (a) Icthyocentaur. (No. 14 L.). 

(6) Frieze of standing figures. (No. 24 L.). 
(c) Pipal leaves with tendrils. (No. 15 L.). 

9. (a) Buddha with crystal urqa. (No. 1430.) 

(6) Koyal female bearing miniature shrine. (No. 1427,) 

10. Kanishka Eelic Casket. 



vii 



Handbook to the Sculptures in the 
Peshawar Museum. 

CHAPTER I* 

HISTORY AND ART OF GANDHAKA. 

HISTORY. 

The greater part of the sculptures in the Peshawar 
Museum have been recovered in excavations l carried out 
by officers of the Archaeological Survey of India in the 
Peshawar valley, 2 a region known anciently as Gandhara. 
From the 6th century B.C. Gandhara formed part of the 
Achsemenian Empire having been conquered in the reign 
of Cyrus. In the Bahistan inscription of Darius (c. 516 
B.C.) the Gandharians appear among the subject people 
and distinct from the Indians, the people of the Indus 
valley, referred to in another inscription of Darius, but 
little is really known of the history of Gandhara until 
Alexander the Great overthrew the last Achaemenian 
king and succeeded to his dominions. 

When in the cold weather of 327-326 B.C. the forces of 
Alexander the Great entered the Peshawar Valley 
Gandhara was under the rule of a raja named by the 
Greeks, Astes, whose capital was Pushkaravati, the 
modern Charsada, 3 on the Kabul river. Alexander* 

1 A complete list of these excavations with bibliographical references is given 
in the Appendix. 

2 The remaining sculptures have reached the Museum from various sources 
bat all emanate from the same region or the adjoining hill country. 

8 For an account of excavations at Charsada in 1903, c/. A. S. /., W02-3, 
and ior the antiquities recovered see Cases 25-29 and adjacent Table Cases in the 
upper left gal&ry of the Museum, 



2 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

constituted the lower Kabul Valley and the recently 
conquered hills a special satrapy under a governor, 
Nicanor, and in the capital Pushkaravati left a Macedonian 
garrison under an officer named Philip. With Alexander's 
death at Babylon in 323 B.C. effective Macedonian rule 
ceased in India and by 317 B.C. the last Greek garrison 
had departed. Thus Greek rule in Gandhara lasted less 
than ten years and its effects were short-lived. 

Alexander's death was followed by a long struggle 
between his generals. The eastern portion of the empire, 
which in theory included the Indian dominions, fell 
eventually to Seleucus Nicator who, in 312 B.C., founded 
the dynasty known as the Seleucid kings of Syria. But 
when Seleucus, emulating Alexander, attempted to invade 
India he was checked by an Indian ruler, Chandragupta 
Maurya. Political relations between the two were settled 
by a treaty which fixed the Hindu Kush as the limit of 
the Seleucid kingdom and gave Gandhara to the Maurya 
ruler whose capital was at Pataliputra, the modern Patna. 
Thus, for the first time, Gandhara became part of an 
Indian empire. 

Proof that Gandhara formed part of the Maurya 
dominions is afforded by the Rock Edicts of Asoka still 
preserved at Shahbazgarhi, some ten miles to the east of 
Mardan. The Singhalese chronicle, the Mahdvamsa, also 
records the name of the Buddhist apostle Madhyantika, 
who, sent by Asoka, converted the people of Gandhara 
and Kashmir (c. 256 B.C.). 

After the death of Asoka, c. 231 B.C., the empire of 
Magadha began to break up and Gandhara as one of the 
most distant provinces was able once again to assert her 
independence, but only to fall a prey to Bactrian Greek 
invaders from the north-west. 

It will be recalled that the Seleucid empire extended 
to the Hindu Kush. About 250 B.C. two parts of this 
empire became independent kingdoms, namely Bactria 
under Piodotus and Parthia under Arsaces, Parthia 



HISTORY AND AKT OF GANDHARA. 3 

grew gradually at the expense of Syria and lasted until 
226 A.D. and in the reign of Mithridates I, 171-138 B.C., 
extended as far east as the Indus. 

Bactria, 1 the north-west region of present day Afghanis- 
tan, was a stronghold of Hellenic culture, its rulers a 
military aristocracy, thoroughly Greek in sentiment and 
religion, ruling over a helot population. Diodotus, the 
son of the founder of this kingdom, was deposed by one 
Euthydemus whose son Demetrius carried his arms across 
the Hindu Kush and conquered the upper Kabul Valley 
and Gandhara 2 (c. 190 B.C.). 

Tta family of Demetrius was driven out of its posses- 
sions in Bactria, the Kabul Valley and Gandhara by 
a ruler Eucratides. Princes of the house of Eucratides 
continued to rule until about 135 B.C., when they, in 
turn, were expelled from Bactria by the $akas, a Scythian 
tribe from Central Asia. They were also deprived of 
Gandhara by these same Sakas about the beginning of the 
1st Century B.C. but continued to rule in the upper Kabul 
Valley until about 50 A.D. when Hermaeus, the last 
Greek prince, was succeeded by the Kushans, a branch 
of the Yeuh-chi, another Scythian tribe. Thus for a 
hundred years Indo-Greek kings ruled in Gandhara and, 
in the Kabul Valley, for nearly a century longer. From 
coins we know the names of thirty-five Indo-Greek kings 
and three queens who ruled in the Punjab and in north- 
west India, but we possess practically no other informa- 
tion concerning them. 

The Sakas who superseded the Greeks in Bactria in 
135 B.C. and occupied Gandhara towards the beginning 
of the 1st Century B.C. had themselves been driven out 
of Bactria by the Yeuh-chi, another similar race from 
north-west China. The passes of the Hindu Kush being 
closed to them they appear to have travelled by way of 
Sistan ($akasthana) into the Indus Valley. In so doing 

1 The modern Balkh preserves the name. 

8 His conquests also included part of the Punjab. 



4 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

they seem to have mingled and intermarried freely with 
the eastern branch of the Parthians who are known as 
the Pahlavas and whose rulers bear Parthian names. 

Both Sakas and Pahlavas ruled in north-west India 
and coins of the Saka rulers, Maues, Azes and Azilises, are 
frequently recovered at Taxila and in Gandhara and an 
inscription of a Pahlava ruler, named Gondopharnes, 
recovered at Takht-i-Bahi and dated in the 26th year 
of his reign and in the year 103 of an unknown era l is 
preserved in the Lahore Museum. 

But Gandhara had not yet come to the end of its in- 
vasions. The Yeuh-chi, who had driven the Sakas from 
Bactria, were sufficiently powerful to force the parses of 
the Hindu Kush, to conquer the Kabul Valley and about 
50 A.D. to overthrow Hermaeus, the last prince of the 
house of Eucratides. The principal tribe of the Yeuh-chi 
was the Kushans and their ruler Kujula Kadphises 
extended his conquests to Gatidhara and his successors to 
the Punjab and even into the basin of the Ganges. 

Of these Kushan rulers the greatest and most power- 
ful was Kanishka who made Purushapura, the modern 
Peshawar, his winter capital and extended his conquests 
from the borders of China to those of Bengal. Then, 
and for the only time in its chequered history, Gandhara 
ceased to be a frontier. 2 Under Kanishka and his succes- 
sors Huvishka and Vasudeva it enjoyed its period of 
greatest prosperity and it is to this era that, with one 
exception, 3 all the ancient monuments of Gandhara, from 

1 If, as generally accepted, the era is the Vikrama Sam vat which began in 
58 B.C., then Gondopharnes began to reign in 19 A.D. and was still reigning in 
45 A.D. 

8 Chandragupta Maurya's kingdom is said to have extended to the Hindu 
Kush but Asoka's Rock Edicts at Shahbazgarhi seem to indicate that Gandhara 
was actually a frontier as the seven similar edicts are all found on the borders of 
the Maurya kingdom. 

It is true that for some periods Afghanistan formed part of the Moghul 
Empire but it was held with difficulty at id Gandhara was in reality as much 
a frontier then as it is to-day. Attock, the ferry station on the Indus, established 
and fortified by Akbar in 1581-83 was so named because it was the north-west 
limit (fitak) of his empire. 

8 The A6oka Eock Edict of Shahbazgarhi, c. 256 B.C. 



HISTORY AND AKT OF GANDHARA. 5 

the stupas of the Khyber to the ruined walls still visible 
in the high banks of the Indus at Hund, are to be assigned, 
and it is religious foundations of Kushan date that have 
yielded most of the sculptures in this museum. 

Kanishka is said to have been converted to Buddhism 
and the Buddhist texts make of him a ser< ad Asoka 
and of Gandhara a second holy land of Buddhism. 
Although the Buddha in all probability never travelled 
west of the present United Provinces we find that before 
the 5th Century numerous sites in Gandhara were definitely 
associated with, and owed their fame to events connected 
with the Buddha in his last or previous existences, 1 while 
the sanctity of Peshawar was assured by Kanishka's 
great stupa reputed to enshrine relics of the Buddha, 
and by the Patrachaitya wherein was preserved his pdtra 
(begging bowl). 

It was from the site of Kanishka's stupa that Dr. D. B. 
Spooner recovered by excavation in March 1909 these 
same relics 2 of the Buddha and the bronze reliquary in 
which they had been enshrined, and it is Kanishka himself 
whom we see in the centre of the casket between figures 
of the sun and moon, PL 10. 

After the death of Vasudcva, c. 225 A.D., the Kushan 
power declined, though it survived in the Punjab until 
the middle of the 5th Century. Of the history of Gandhara 
during this period we know little until about 400 A.D. 
when it was visited by the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, 
Pa Hian. From his description of the stupa of the Eye 
Gift " adorned with silver and gold "and his statement 
that some seven hundred priests still served the Patra- 
chaitya at Peshawar it is clear that Buddhism was 

1 The stupa of the " Eye gift " to mark the spot where the Buddha, " when 
he was a Bodhisattva, gave his eyes in charity " was located at Piushkat avail, 
the scene of the Visvantara Jataka at Po-lu-sha (^hahbazgaihi), the wito of the 
conversion of the Yakshi llaritl, some 50 li to tho north-west of Pushkaravati, 
and the scene of the JSyania Jataka " fifty li or so " still further to the north. 

8 The relics were presented to the Buddhists of Burma and havo been re- 
enshrined at Mandalay. The casket is preserved in tho Pc^ha\.ar Museuia and 
a plaster cast is exhibited in the Central Hall. 

B 



6 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

relatively vigorous and flourishing. But when in 520 A.D. 
Song-yun, another Chinese pilgrim, reached Gandhara 
he records, " This is the country which the Ye-tha des- 
troyed.. . .since which event two generations have 
passed." These Ye-tha or White Huns, a barbarous horde 
from Central Asia, swept down into India towards the 
end of the 5th Century carrying fire and sword every- 
where in their train, obtained possession of the Kushan 
dominions and eventually overthrew the great empire 
of the Guptas. 

Song-yun speaks of the Ye-tha king (Mihiragula), 
whom he met in camp, as cruel and vindictive, practising 
the most barbarous atrocities, worshipping demons and 
opposed to the law of the Buddha. Nevertheless he still 
records the existence at Po-lu-sha (Shahbazgarhi) of 
beautiful images " covered with gold sufficient to dazzle 
the eyes " and, within the temple, paintings of the 
Visvantara Jataka so vividly lifelike as to bring tears to 
the eyes of the barbarians. But he was the last to see 
the glories of the Buddhist shrines of Gandhara, for some 
fifteen years later Mihiragula destroyed sixteen hundred 
of its religious establishments, killed two-thirds of the 
inhabitants and reduced the remainder to slavery. 

From this calamity Gandhara never recovered and 
when a hundred years later Hiuan Tsang, the most famous 
of the Chinese pilgrims, passed through Gandhara the 
traces of this devastation were still clearly legible on the 
face of the desolated land. He found it without a king 
and a dependency of Kapisa 1 and not only depopulated 
but more than half ruined by the evils of war. He 
mentions some fifteen religious establishments among 
those still occupied, but of the rest records with pathetic 
brevity, " There are about one thousand sanghdrdmas 2 
which are deserted and in ruins. They are filled with wild 

1 The IJapiSa of Hiuan Tsang is tho present Afghan Kohistan 
* Buddhist monasteries. 



HISTORY AND ART OF GANDHARA. 7 

shrubs and solitary to the last degree. The stupas are 
mostly decayed/' 1 

But the worst invasions were yet to come and 
Grandhara under the rule of Turki Shahiya kings of Kabul 2 
and of their successors the Hindu Shahiya rulers of Ohind 
(Hund) still remained Indian in manners and language 
until the beginning of the llth Century when the Muham- 
madan invasion swept away the last traces of Indian art, 
language and culture. 



ART. 

The school of art which arose and flourished in 
Gandhara was not the first to arise on Indian soil. 
Long before we have the Ancient Indian School re- 
presented by the sculptures of the Bharhut stiipa, 3 the 
railings of Bodh Gaya, 4 the gateways of Sanclii, 5 the 
fayades of the rockcut temples of Orissa 6 and the Konkan, 7 
and the pre-Kushan sculptures of Mathura. 8 

Now these works of the Ancient School show a con- 
tinuous development from the rudimentary technique of 
most of those of Bharhut, through the more developed 
style of the reliefs on the Bodh Gaya railing to the masterly 
execution of the best sculptures of Sanchi. 

The school of Gandhara, on the other hand, though 
later in date is not a natural continuation of the Ancient 
Indian School but exhibits clear evidence of Hellenistic 
influence, displays a greater mastery over technical 
difficulties and introduces new and foreign motifs, 

Beal, Buddhist Records, Vol. I, p. 98. 

2 The Turki Shahiya kings of Kabul boasted their descent from the Kushan 
king, Kanishka. 

c. middle of 2nd Century B.C. 

Early 1st Century B.C. 

8 Latter half of 1st Century B.C. 

c. 1st Century B.C. 

f Latter half of 1st Century B.C. 

Middle o2 2nd Century B.C. onward. 

B2 



8 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

Nevertheless, like its predecessors, it still remains at the 
service of Buddhist piety and the monuments to be adorned 
by the reliefs and images, the legends to be illustrated, the 
ends to be served are still Buddhist. 

Thus though the form be strongly Hellenistic, the 
matter is Indian and consequently we find many old 
motifs of the early school retained practically unchanged. 
Some are, however, modified and a few entirely trans- 
formed. To the already numerous Indian or Indianized 
motifs atlantes, fantastic creatures, griffons and the 
flora and fauna of India, the new school brought the vine, 
the acanthus, Cupids and garlands, 1 PL 2 (6), fabulqjis 
creatures such as the hippocampus and triton,*PL 8 (a), 
marine divinities, the gods of Olympus and all the en- 
tourage of Dionysus, while to the architectural details 
of the ancient school, railings, bead and reel and saw- 
tooth mouldings, horse-shoe arches, trapezoidal door- 
ways, merlons and Indo-Persepolitan pilasters, the 
Grseco-Buddhist sculptors contributed Indo-Corinthian 
pilasters, acanthus capitals, PL 8 (6), modillion cornices 
and foliated mouldings, PL 5 (a). 

But the greatest contribution to Indian art resulting 
from this union of Hellenistic genius and Buddhist piety 
is the figure of the Buddha, PL 2 (a), PL 3, PL 9 (a). 
In the earlier sculptures of the Ancient Indian school 
illustrating events in the last existence of the Buddha, 
the Master is never represented, his presence in any scene 
being indicated by some sacred symbol. His riderless 
horse with umbrella depicts the flight from the palace, 2 
an empty throne under a tree the Enlightenment ; 3 
but Gautama himself never appears and it was the Hel- 
lenistic artists of Gandhara familiar with the comprehen- 
sive pantheon of Greek art who first attempted to portray 

1 The amorini, PI. 5 (a), lose their classic form and in No. 241 , PL 7, appear 
as Httle yakshas while in PI. 2 (6) the ankle ted figures are possibly no longer Cupids 
but the yaksha otfspring of Pailchika and Hariti bearing a long flexible purse. 

s lntrod. ia 

1 Jntrod. 19, 



HISTORY AND ART OF GANDHARA. 9 

the Master. 1 That this product of Indo-Greek ateliers 
failed ultimately to satisfy Indian ideals lessens in no 
way the credit of the achievement of the Grseco-Buddhist 
artists, for whatever may be thought of the later develop- 
ments of the Buddha image in India proper there can 
be no doubt that it originated in Gandhara and that it 
is not only the oldest in the world but also the source from 
which the artists of Central Asia and the Far East drew 
their inspiration. This alone invests it with great his- 
torical interest and importance for it can hardly be con- 
tested that the Buddha figure is Asia's greatest artistic 
success. 

Closely connected with the figure of the Buddha are 
the Bodhisattvas, 2 PL 1, PL 4 (a), (c), another contribution 
of the school of Gandhara to Indian art. 

The artists worked not only in stone, 3 but also in 
stucco, terracotta and clay and it must not be forgotten 
that these images were invariably embellished with poly- 
chrome and gold. Evidence of this is furnished not only 
by Song-yun's account of the dazzling images of Po-lu-sha 
but by 108 M, 4 943 M (a), (6), (c), 5 No. 227, and 
Nos. 1797 and 1809. 7 

We have already seen that Buddhism reached Gandhara 
about 256 B.C. and that froinc. 190 B.C. to c. 100 B.C. the 

1 The priority of tho Girauo-Buddhist imago of the Buddha is no longer un- 
challenged and Dr. A. K. Coomaraswamy in the \\orks detailed in the Bibliography 
advances the claim of the Mathura Buddha figure, if not to priority, at least to 
equal antiquity. 

2 The term Bodlusattva is tho designation of any person, human or divine, who 
has reached that stage of development which assures his becoming a Buddha, 
In history only one Buddha is known, namely Gautama himself, who ceased to 
ba a Bodhisattva on attaining Buddhahood. But the Buddhists have evolved 
a theory of countless others, among the best known of whom are Avalokiteavara, 
Maitreya, Manjusrl and Vajrapam. 

8 The stone used for most of the sculptures is a variety of greyish blue schist 
which varies considerably in fineness, some of the most beautiful and seemingly 
early friezes being executed in a close-grained homogeneous stone lending itself 
to the execution of reliefs rivalling in delicacy those of workers in ivory 

* Table Case A. 

6 Table Case M, 
Case 11. 

7 Case 76. 



10 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAB MUSEUltfL 

country was ruled by Indo-Greek princes. This period 
would seem to have been peculiarly favourable to the rise 
of the school of Grseco-Buddhist art. But when we 
examine the coins of these rulers it is Greek gods and 
goddesses we see occupying the place of honour on the 
reverse and the same is true of the coins of their Saka- 
Pahlava successors. But Hellenistic culture must even 
then have been making itself felt in Gandhara though its 
art, apparently, was not yet devoted to the service of 
Buddhism. 1 Still it is not until the time of Kanishka 
that the Buddha figure appears on a coin. The conven- 
tionalization of the Buddha figures on the Kanishka 
casket, PI. 10, makes it plain that the origin of this image 
must be assigned to some pre-Kanishka date and con- 
firmation of this is afforded by the gold reliquary from 
Bimaran which likewise bears representations of the 
Buddha and which is said to have been found along with 
coins of Azes. 2 It therefore appears as if the school of 
Gandhara sprang into being between the passing of Indo- 
Greek rule and the coming of the Kushans, that is during 
the Saka-Pahlava supremacy in the 1st Century B.C. 
Nevertheless it must not be forgotten that the vast 
majority of the sculptures in the Peshawar Museum 
have been recovered, not from Saka-Pahlava monuments, 
but from the ruins of religious establishments assignable 
with certainty to Kushan times. 

The sculptures themselves do not, as might have 
been expected, afford much assistance towards removing 
the uncertainty as to their date for, unfortunately, among 
the many thousands of Gandhara sculptures we possess, 
few are inscribed, still fewer are dated and none of these 
in any known era. A recent acquisition No. 1944, 3 

1 No Indo-Greek city site in Gandhara has yet been excavated. It is such 
sites which may be expected to yield the earliest efforts of the Gandhara School. 
To this early period such sculptures as Pigs. 129-131 of A. G.-B. G. might well 
be assigned, and, perhaps, No. 1938, Menander's wrestlers (Case 85). 

2 These coins do not, of course, prove the casket to be of the time of Azes 
though the presumption is not unwarranted, as it was a contemporary coin that 
was found with the Kanishka reliquary. 

* Central Hll,e/. p. 51. 



6ISTO&Y AND AKT OF GANDHlRA. 11 

however, dated in the year 89 seems, on paleeographic 
grounds, to be referable to the Kanishka era and may with 
some confidence be assigned to between 166*216 AJX 1 
The composition and style of this relief point to a period 
when the school was in full vigour and prove that, long 
after Kanishka, the artists of Gandhara could, at least 
in stone, execute works of considerable merit. Still 
neither the dated inscriptions nor considerations of style 
enable us to determine with any approach to certainty 
the chronological sequence of the sculptures. As a 
general rule the earlier ones approximate more closely 
to Hellenistic work but the compositions are frequently 
eo complex that certainty can rarely be reached. 
Nos. 14 L, 24 L and 15 L, PL 8, are probably early 
products of the school ; No. 1739, PL 1, No. 1527, PL 2 (a), 
No. 200, PL 4 (a), Nos. 1866, PL 4 (c), 28 L, PL 5 (a), and 
1944 of the school in its full vigour ; and No. 1773, 
PL 4 (6), in its decline ; while Nos. 1440, 87 L and No. 403 
appear to mark its complete decadence. 

The interest of the works of this school, however, is 
by no means limited to their religious and aesthetic aspects, 
important as are these to the students of Buddhism and 
of the history of art. They throw a flood of light on the 
life of this doubly classical land of Gandhara during some 
five centuries, and place at the disposal of the Indianist 
a comprehensive dictionary of antiquities illustrated by 
contemporary artists. The costumes of all classes from 
princes to paupers, the furnishing of houses, weapons of 
war and the chase, armour, articles of toilet and jewellery, 
litters, howdahs, carts and carriages, horses and harness, 
tools, agricultural implements, cult objects and musical 
instruments are all depicted. We are shown the people 
at work, play and worship, engaged in acts of devotion, 
marriages, cremations, donations, sports and visits of 
ceremony and we are not left ignorant of the appearance 

1 For this reading and date I am indebted to Dr. Steu Konuw The date of 
Kaniehka is itself a matter of controversy. 



1 2 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

of dancers, musicians, travellers, ascetics, wrestlers, 
bravoes and robbers. The forms which gnomes, dryads, 
water spirites and demons assumed in popular imagina- 
tion are all depicted as well as the battlemented and 
guarded city walls and gateways which defended the 
people from their more substantial and mundane enemies. 

These sculptures come also as a welcome corrective 
&nd addition to the Buddhist canonical books, revealing 
more precisely the form Buddhism took in Gandhara. 
The abundance of images and particularly those of Hariti 
and PaiicLika prove that the Buddhism of the texts did 
not hold the field unchallenged. The common need of 
the heart for objects of devotion and the still more human 
desire for children and riches were met by these 'images. 
The numerous monuments and their wealth of sculpture 
are evidence, too, of the prosperity of the country and the 
opulence of its inhabitants who, if we may believe the 
inscriptions, were not less mixed in race than the sculp- 
tures themselves in style, for if the Sadhakamitra of 
No. 280 and the Dharmapriya and Buddhapriya of 
No. 1944 are Indians the Menander of No. 1938 l and the 
Agesilaos of the Kanishka relic casket at least can clearly 
claim Greek descent. 

The school enjoyed an exceptionally long life and 
though we know comparatively little of its earlier works 
we are fully informed from Kushan times. The highest 
artistic development seems to have been reached in the 
2nd Century A.D. and this was followed by a very long 
period of prosperity marked by the production of count- 
less sculptures of a uniform level of mediocrity, the art 
of the studio being replaced by the craftsmanship of the 
workshop. A very long and slow decline succeeded, 
evidenced by loss of technical skill, monotonous repetition 
and weakness of composition, but stucco continued to be 
used with considerable vigour until the end of the 5th 
Century A.D, 

I * 0/ P* 47 and footnote. 



HISTORY AttD ABT OP GANDHARA. 13 

Buddhist art in Gandhara received its first blow 
in the early part of the 6th Century at the hands of the 
ferocious White Hun ruler, Mihiragula. After the passing 
of the White Hun domination Buddhism again revived 
and in the neighbourhood of the larger towns some of 
the monasteries and stupas appear to have been restored. 1 
Some ancient images and reliefs from the ruins were 
brought into use and stucco work again adorned the 
bases of stupas, but life had departed from the art as 
indicate only too plainly such figures as Nos. 840-1, 
843, 876. 2 Nevertheless Buddhism lingered on in 
Gandhara until the Muhammadan invasion (1021 A.D.), 
but by that time the greater part of the monuments 
were already hidden under their ruins awaiting the spade 
of the excavator, to the success of whose efforts the collec- 
tion bears ample witness. 



1 Stein, A. S. I., 1911-12, p. 101. 

2 Table Case L. 



1. 

2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 



8. 

9. 
10. 

11. 
12. 

13. 
14. 

15. 
16. 

17. 
18. 



19. 
20. 
21. 

22. 



CHRONOLOGY. 

Birth of Siddhartha Gautama founder of Buddhism . 

Death of Siddhartha Gautama 

Gandhara, a part of Persian Empire 

Alexander invades Gandhara 

Death of Alexander 

Alexander's last garrison leaves India .... 

Seleucus, successor of Alexander in Western Asia, checked in 

India by Ghandragupta Maurya. Gandhara becomes part 

of Mauryan Empire ....... 

Asoka Maurya sends Buddhist Missionaries to Gandhara. 

His inscription at Shahbazgarhi ..... 
Bactua becomes independent under Diodotus 
Demetrius of Bactria conquers the Kabul Valley, Gandhura 

and the Punjab 

Heliocles, King of Bactria, driven across the Hindu Kush by 

the Sakas ......... 

&akas invade N. W. India and later obtain possession of 

Gandhara ......... 

Rise of the Gandhara School .... 

Pahlava dynasty ruling in N. W. India 



B.C. 
c. 663 
483 

568321 

827326 

323 

317 



305 

c. 256 
e. 250 

c. 190 
c. 135 



c. 100 

First Century B.C. 
c. 50 



A.D. 

Gondopharnes, Pahlava king ruling in Gandhara. Takht-i- 

Bahi inscription of year 103 21 50 

Conquest of the Kabul Valley by the Kushans and extinction 

of Greek rule north of the Indus c. 60 

Kushan power extended over N. W. India . . . . c. 76 

Kanishka, Kushan King. Grseeo -Buddhist art seems to have 
flourished greatly in his reign as a result probably of his 
conversion to Buddhism and the increased material pros- 
perity of the country. Buddha image first appears on his 
coins but is already conventionalized .... c. 120 
Fa Hian, Chinese pilgrim, visits Gandhara . . . 400 

Song-yun, , 520 

Mihiragula, the White Hun King, destroys sixteen hundred 
stupas and monasteries of Gandhara and slays two -thirds 

of its inhabitants 530540 

Hiuan Tsang, the most famous of the Chinese pilgrims, visits 

India 629645 

Muhammadan invasion of Gandhara ..... 1021 



15 



CHAPTER II. 

INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 

To the student of Buddhist sculpture, the enquiry 
as to how far the various legends connected with the 
life of Gautama Buddha are historical, is not one of im- 
portance. It is the legends alone that can explain the 
scenes represented in the sculptures, and for this reason 
a brief account of the Buddha's life, as it is known and 
believed in by his followers, is a necessary introduction 
to our subject. 

The exact date of the Buddha's birth is not known. 
His death, according to Dr. Fleet, took place on tlie 13th 
of October, 483 B.C., and, as he is said to have been 80 
years of age at the time, it is probably a close approxi- 
mation to the truth to date his birth in 563 B.C. The 
legend has it that this event was not only attended by 
countless supernatural phenomena, but also presaged by 
divers dreams and visions. Siddhartha himself, they say, 
was resident in the Tushita Heaven when the time 
approached for him to be reborn on earth, and he long 
deliberated as to who were worthy of being his parents, 
and ultimately decided to be born of Maya, the queen 
of King Suddhodana, the ruler of the Bakya clan whose 
capital was Kapilavastu in the present Nepal Terai. 
Accordingly, he descended from heaven and entered the 
right side of the queen under the form, as it seemed to 
the sleeping Maya, of a white elephant with six tusks. 
Here he reposed until the hour of birth arrived. When 
the time came the queen was disporting herself in one 
of the royal gardens outside the city, known as the Luin- 
bim, and the miraculous event itself is said to have taken 
place as she stood beneath a sal tree. 

From the place of his birth he was brought back to 
the capital amid the rejoicings of the people, and the 

16 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 17 

astrologers were set to cast Ms horoscope. Noticing 
that the infant's body bore the 32 major and the 80 minor 
marks of a " Great Being ", x they seem to have been 
in doubt as to whether he would become a Universal 
Monarch or a perfect Buddha, the saviour of the world, 
for the marks of both are the same. But when the Rishi 
Asita, who was attracted to the spot from a great dis- 
tance by visions with which his miraculous power gifted 
him, came and beheld the child, he pronounced him to 
be indeed the Bodhisattva, that is to say, the future 
Buddha. The royal father, however, does not seem to 
have been attracted by the prospect of his son and heir 
abandoning the throne and going forth as a humble 
mendicant to lead the life of an ascetic, and, therefore, 
exerted himself to attract the prince to worldly things 
by indulging him in every form of luxury and pleasure. 
Pie was early married to Yasodhara, having established 
his right to win her by excelling all the rival Hiikya youths 
in a series of games and contests arranged for that pur- 
pose, and he lived with her and the other ladies of his 
household in the utmost happiness until early manhood. 
His father, however, remembering the prophecy that 
he would renounce the world, kept him almost a prisoner 
within the palace walls. 

When, in the fulness of time the hour for the Great 
Renunciation drew nigh, the young man, being impelled 
thereto by the gods, prevailed upon his charioteer Chan- 
daka to take him without the enclosure on a pleasure 
trip. Then it was that the gods, in order to set his mind 
on spiritual things, showed him the spectacle of an old, 
decrepit man in the highway. This was succeeded by 
a second vision of a man sick and worn with pain, and 
then by a third vision of a loathsome corpse. Touched 
to the heart by those pitiful spectacles the young prince 
demanded explanations, and, learning thus the truth of 

1 Of these physical characteristics of the Buddha the sc ilptures show but 
one the urna, the whorl of luminous hair between the eyes, usually represented 
as a raise' 1 mole-like projection. Cf. No. 239 in the vestibule and PI. 9 (a). 



18 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

Old Age, Sickness and Death, was plunged in grief and 
meditation, until a fourth vision, that of a holy ascetic, 
opened his eyes to the path he should follow to obtain 
freedom from these ills. Meanwhile the king, terrified 
by the pensiveness that had come upon his son, redoubled 
his efforts to divert his attention from the grim realities 
of life and to keep him closely confined within the palace. 
But the gods so filled him with a feeling of satiety and 
disgust for worldly things, that, with their assistance, 
he fled in the night leaving his wife, his home and the 
throne that might have been his. 

This is the Great Kenunciation, so often sung in Bu<3- 
dhist story and so often depicted in the various schools 
of Buddhist sculpture. From this time forth he lived 
for several years as a mendicant seeking the way of sal- 
vation by fasting and mortification of the flesh as the 
Brahmans both of those days and of our own times do. 
But after many enquiries into the various systems of 
belief then prevailing, and after long trial of the many 
forms of asceticism common to the Hindus of his time, 
he abandoned their methods in despair, It was not 
long after this that the secret of salvation flashed upon 
him, as he sat in meditation beneath the Bodhi tree at 
Bodh-gaya, and he attained to that enlightenment by 
virtue of which he ceased to be a Bodhisattva and became 
a perfect Buddha. 

Almost immediately after the Enlightenment the 
Buddha proceeded to Sarnath near Benares, where in 
the Deer Park of that place he preached his first sermon 
and thus entered on his ministry. This incident is the 
so-called " turning of the Wheel of \he Law ", and is 
naturally a very favourite subject for representation by 
Buddhist artists. 

With this brief sketch of the early years of the Buddha's 
life, we may pass on to those particular legends connected 
with the great Teacher which are illustrated by sculp- 
tures now in the Peshawar Museum. In the fallowing 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 19 

brief list the sculptures illustrative of each legend are 
mentioned at the end of each paragraph, and conversely 
the paragraphs themselves are referred to in the detailed 
description of the sculptures. 

1. Diparikara-Jataka. It is not easy to become a 
Buddha, the texts inform us, indeed, such a position 
is to be attained only after a long series of existences 
and the display of the most heroic virtues, and from 
such a probation even Sakya Muni himself was not exempt. 
The stories of his previous lives as given in the Buddhist 
Birth Stories (Jdtakas) enumerate some 550 incarnations 
as bird beast and human being. The Peshawar collec- 
tions contain no representations of jdtakas depicting the 
Buddha in animal existences. The one most commonly 
represented is the Dipankara-jataka. The Buddha in 
the reliefs is, therefore, not the historical Buddha Gau- 
tama but the earliest of his twenty-four predecessors, 
a Buddha named Dipankara. Once when this Buddha 
Dipankara was about to visit a certain town, news of 
his coming reached a young ascetic named Megha or 
Sumati. This pious youth, anxious to pay his respects 
to the great Teacher, and having just won a certain sum 
of money by his display of Vedic knowledge, hastened 
to the town to purchase some flowers to cast in worship 
before Dipankara. Now it so happened that the king 
of the country anxious to pay homage to the Buddha 
had ordered that all the flowers available should be 
reserved for him. Sumati thus found himself in diffi- 
culties. However, he chanced to meet a maiden, carry- 
ing a water jar, who had been so fortunate as to obtain 
seven lotuses. Five of these he purchased from her, 
on condition that in all future births she should be his 
wife. The purchase of these flowers from the maiden 
is the first act of the drama represented by the sculpture 
wherein the youth and the maiden are seen standing 
to one side bargaining. Having completed this purchase, 
the youth turns and prepares to cast the flowers before 



20 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

the Buddha, who has meanwhile arrived on the scene. 
The flowers, however, when thrown, do not fall to the 
ground but remain suspended about the Buddha's head, 
as is plainly shown in the sculpture No. 439. Impressed 
by this miracle the youth prostrates himself in adoration, 
at the same time letting down his long hair and spread- 
ing it as a carpet before the feet of the Buddha. Touched 
by this act of devotion, Dipankara Buddha then addresses 
the young man and prophesies that in due time he will 
attain to enlightenment and become a Buddha. By a 
further manifestation of miraculous power, the youth 
is then mysteriously raised up into the air, where he 
again kneels and continues his adoration of DipankarJL 
(135, 247, 439, 781, 783, 810, 816, 1122, 1379, 1554, 1852.) 

In the sculpture all these various acts are represented, 
being grouped together into one composition. The young 
ascetic, it should be remembered, was destined later to 
become the Gautama Buddha of history, while in the 
maiden, Buddhists see Yasodhara, Siddhartha's youthful 
bride, whom he abandoned in the Great Renunciation. 

2. Syaina-Jataka. In this existence the future 
Buddha was born as Syama, a model of filial piety and the 
sole support of his aged and blind parents who lived as 
hermits in a remote part of the Himalayas. One day 
when drawing water he was struck by the arrow of the 
king of Benares who was hunting deer in the forest, but 
was afterwards miraculously restored to life. (1891.) 

Only four scenes of the story are depicted in the 
relief, No. 1891, PL 5 (6) : (A) the slaying of Syama, (B) 
the hermitage with the two leaf -huts of the father and 
mother, (C) the king leading the blind ascetics to the 
body of their dead son, and (D) the parents in grief kneel- 
ing by the dead body. In the third scene the blindness 
of the parents is most cleverly suggested. 

Hiuan-Tqang, who was in India in 629-645 A.D., men- 
tions in his description of Gandhara a stupa ahput ten 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 21 

miles from Pushkaravati (Charsada) which was then be- 
lieved to mark the site of this edifying story, and it is 
not impossible that the mound known locally as PeriUno- 
dheri, near the large village of Gandheri may conceal 
the remains of that monument. ~ 

3. V&vantara-J&taka. The most famous of all the 
Jatakas is that which recounts the penultimate existence 
of the Buddha, when born as Prince Visvantara, the son 
of the king of Sivi, he realized on earth the perfection 
of charity. As the country of Kalinga was suffering 
from famine consequent on a prolonged drought, the 
ki^g in desperation sent some Brahmans of his court 
to beg from the ever charitable Visvantara a miraculous 
white elephant which had the power of producing rain 
whenever desired and was naturally one of the most 
valuable state treasures. Visvantara without hesitation 
presented the elephant to the Brahmans and for this 
more generous than diplomatic act he, on the angry pro* 
tests of his father's subjects, was banished from the 
kingdom, and with his faithful wife and two young children 
left for the distant jungle appointed as his place of banish- 
ment. (1366.) 

Even on the road to exile he gave away in alms, first 
his horses and then his chariot. Later, in the jungle 
a wicked Brahman begged from him his children and 
finally The King of The Gods ($akra), in disguise, ob- 
tained from this monomaniac of charity even his wife ! 

All, however, ends happily and the prince and his 
family are finally reunited at his father's court. 

In No. 1366 which appears to depict the first scene 
of the story, we see the elephant of state on the left and, 
in the centre, the princely Visvantara in the act of pre- 
senting it to an aged Brahman and ratifying the gift 
in the orthodox way by pouring water on the recipient's 
hand. The figure on the extreme right with ^rms thrown 
up in consternation may well be one of the dismayed 



22 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

populace whose later anger resulted in Visvantara's 
banishment. 

The story is of special local interest as by the sixth 
century it had been located in Gandhara and the Chinese 
pilgrims Song-yun, 520 AJD. and Hiuan-Tsang, 629-645 
A.D., both found that every one of the numerous Buddhist 
religious foundations in the neighbourhood of Po-lu-sha 1 
was reputed to recall one or other episode of this edifying 
legend. 

4. Queen Maya's dream. The sculptures portraying 
this scene are meant to illustrate the conception of the 
Buddha. Originally the whole incident was felt to^Jbe 
only the dream announcing to Maya the approaching 
conception of the child. But having been so often re- 
presented in sculpture, the belief seems to have grown 
that the incident was a real one. The child is seen des- 
cending from the Tushita Heaven in the form of a white 
elephant, which according to the story ought to have 
six tusks. His divine character is shown by the halo 
which surrounds him. Maya, the queen, is represented 
as lying asleep, and owing to the fact that in the story 
the elephant can only enter her right side, where he re- 
mains during gestation, the queen's head is regularly 
placed to the spectator's right, so that her right side 
is rendered accessible to the approaching elephant. A 
curious exception to this otherwise universal rule in Gan- 
dhara is seen in sculpture No. 251 when the sculptor 
having placed the head to the left, has been forced to 
draw the queen with her back to the spectator to avoid 
breaking with the tradition. When other female figures 
are shown standing to right and left, they are understood 
to be palace guards in attendance on the sleeping queen. 
(138, 154-A, 251, 350, 566.) 

5. Interpretation of the dream. As was only 
natural, the queen demanded of the astrologers some 

1 The modern Shahbazgarhi about ton miles cast of Mardan in the Peshawar 
district and the site of one of the eight recensions of ASoka's Rock Jjdicts, 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 23 

interpretation of this extraordinary dream, and this is 
the incident depicted in sculptures Nos. 147 and 251. 
The king and queen are shown seated side by side turn- 
ing attentively toward a Brahmanical figure on the left, 
who remains seated before them as he expounds the 
meaning of the dream and foretells the birth of the won- 
derful child. The various texts are somewhat confused 
on the point, but it seems probable that the Brahman 
in question is the Rishi Asita. Sometimes one or more 
guards or other palace attendants figure in the composi- 
tion, but they are not essential and their presence or 
absence appears to be determined by consideration of 
rpace. (147,251.) 

6. The birth, bath and seven steps, The repre- 
sentation of the birth of Prince Siddhartha, is naturally 
one of the commonest of all subjects in Buddhist art. 
The Queen had gone to the Lumbim garden with her 
ladies, and was there disporting herself, when the ap- 
pointed moment came. The sculptures show her stand- 
ing in the centre of the composition, with her right hand 
upraised and clutching a branch of the sal tree which 
represents the garden. She is supported by her sister, 
Mahaprajapati, while attendants varying in number are 
clustered behind them. Meanwhile the divine child is 
shown issuing from the right side of the queen (in har- 
mony with the legend of the conception). In reverent 
attitudes Brahma and Indra stand to receive him. ^ It 
is Indra with the high headdress, who actually receives 
the child in his outstretched arms, while Brahma, who 
is distinguished by his coiffure, looks on in adoration. 
(32-L, 127, 359, 643-M, 1241, 1242, 1374, 1900, 1903, 
1936.) 

According to some texts no sooner is the Bodhisattva 
born than he takes seven steps in the direction of each 
of the cardinal points and it is in this act he is shown 
in No. 1374. Other texts state that the newly born 
infant is first bathed by the two naga-rdjas, Nanda and 

c 2 



24 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

Upananda, who holding themselves in the air create two 
streams of water, hot and cold, for this purpose. It is 
they whom we see in the unique relief No. 1900, and 
from whose mouths pour the cleansing streams. 

In Gandhara reliefs the bathing of the Bodhisattva 
is, however, usually assigned to Indra and Brahma or 
to human attendants, as in the fragmentary right panel 
of No. 1903. The left panel of this relief shows the 
closed litter in which Maya and the child are brought 
from the Lumbini garden to the capital, Kapilavastu. 

7. The Horoscope. The story of the Horoscope, 
when the Eishi Asita foretold to the king and queen t]j 
wonderful nature of the child that had been born to them, 
differs in sculptural representation from the scene of the 
Interpretation of the Dream in one detail only. The 
composition is the same, but in the sculptures of the 
Horoscope the seated Eishi holds the child on his lap. 
The prophecy, which the Eishi is understood to be making 
to the royal couple, was unfortunately ambiguous. It 
so happens that the physical characteristics of a Buddha 
such as the little whorl of the luminous hair between 
the eyes, etc., are the same as those of a mighty emperor 
or " Universal Monarch ". The Eishi himself declared 
that the child would become a Buddha, but the thought 
was repugnant to the royal father, who did his utmost 
to prevent this consummation. His hope was that, 
despite the prophecy of the Eishi, the child would grow 
up to be that mighty monarch which the peculiar marks 
on his body indicated equally with the Buddhahood. 
But the gods through pity for mankind thwarted the 
loving but selfish aspirations of the father's heart, and 
aided the prince to overcome all obstacles and become 
the perfect Buddha. (131, 643-M, 675, 1541, 1726.) 

8. The writing lesson. One of the incidents in 
the childhood of the prince Siddhartha, frequently re- 

3resented in the Buddhist sculpture, is that of the child's 
writing lesson. Having been sent to school with 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 25 

the other noble children of the Sakya clan, the young 
Siddhartha gives evidence of his miraculous powers by 
enumerating and demonstrating his knowledge of more 
systems of writing than were known even to his guru, 
the learned Visvamitra. In the sculptures, the child is 
shown seated with a writing board on his knees, while 
the other scholars and the guru arc grouped around. 
(131, 151, 347.) 

9. The wrestling match and martial exercises. 

The Buddhist books unfortunately give varying and 
confused accounts of the several physical exercises prac- 
t^ed by the young prince. In some they appear as part 
of his youthful training, in others it is stated that this 
side of his education had been so neglected that the 
father of Yasodhara raised objections when Suddhodana 
first sought his daughter in marriage for his son Siddhartha. 
But despite this handicap the Bodhisattva declared him- 
self ready to compete with all comers in any branch of 
sport. Elaborate games were, therefore, instituted and 
the Bodhisattva, of course, easily defeated all other com- 
petitors. In fragment No. 143 is seen one of the events, 
a wrestling match and in No. 1408 we see the Bodhisattva 
engaged in archery and tug of war. The presence of 
a figure with a sling seems to indicate that slinging also 
formed part of the contest. (30-L, 143, 1408, 1899, 
1902, 1906, 1938.) 

10. The slaying of the elephant. Naturally, King 
Suddhodana was overjoyed at his son's splendid victory 
in these contests, and ordered that the great elephant 
of state should be sent to bring the young prince back 
from the field. But this aroused the jealousy of the 
future Buddha's wicked cousin, Devadatta who, with a 
single blow, felled the elephant as it was issuing from the 
city gate. Nanda, Siddhartha's half-brother, seeing the 
huge carcase blocking the gate dragged it a little aside, 
that traffic might not be obstructed. Later, when the 
Bodhisattva himself arrived on the scene, he picked up 



26 SCULPTURES IN THE PESftAWAR MUSEUM. 

the huge creature with one hand and hurled it over the 
seven walls and moats of the city, in order that the de- 
composing mass might not infect the town. Of. No. 
1906. (142, 1906.) 

11. The marriage of Siddhartha. No very detailed 
reliefs depicting the marriage of the Bodhisattva have 
ever been recovered but in No. 701-M, there is a summary 
version of the ceremony, the essential rites of which are 
union of hands, the circumambulation of the sacred fire 
and the aspersion of water. In No. 701 -M, the bridal 
couple, hand in hand, stand on either side of the fire 
which is flanked by water pots, a single female with palm- 
like fan and one drummer serving to indicate the mar- 
riage party. Even though the ceremony must have been 
one familiar to those whom these reliefs were intended 
to edify, the absence of the officiating Brahman is some- 
what surprising. In No. 250, only the left half of the 
scene is preserved and here the female attendant acts 
as train-bearer to the bride. Though the bride is mis- 
sing in No. 1905, her long train, the fire and the water- 
pots leave no doubt as to the purport of the relief. (250, 
469, 701-M, 1905.) 

12. The first meditation of the Bodhisattva 
Siddhartha. On a certain day the prince was taken 
by his father to see a ploughing match, where in the 
enclosed space the half -stripped men and the straining 
oxen were labouring strenuously before the assembled 
crowd. As the sun increased in strength, the sweat ran 
down both men and oxen, and for a few moments they 
ceased from their labours. In the meantime various 
insects came forth from the ground and flocks of birds 
descending in multitudes devoured them. Seeing the 
tired oxen, their necks bleeding from the yoke, the men 
toiling beneath the midday sun and the birds devouring 
the helpless insects, the heart of the Bodhisattva was 
filled with grief. Retiring from the enclosure he found 
a secluded place near a jambu tree and dismissing his 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 27 

attendants sat down beneath its shady branches and 
through the love and pity produced by his reflections 
was wrapt in a state of unconscious ecstasy. (1739.) 

Later, when Suddhodana missing his son sent men 
to search for him, the prince was found lost in medita- 
tion, the shadow of the tree still shading him, though 
the shadow of the other trees had failed not to move 
with the ascending sun. The king summoned to the 
spot, beholding this sight, was filled with awe and bowed 
down at the feet of his son. It is probably his figure 
which we see at the lower left corner of the pedestal. 
In No. 1739, PI. 1, the ploughing scene is relegated to 
the extreme right of the pedestal, while the left is occu- 
pied by two adoring donors before an incense burner. 

13. The Cycle of the Great Renunciation. The 
moral of the sculptures portraying the life of voluptuous 
ease which the young prince led in his early years, is to 
show how great was the sacrifice he made in abandoning 
all that was his and in wandering forth alone to seek 
salvation. The prince is usually represented seated on 
his couch with Yasodhara, his chief queen, by his side, 
while numerous other ladies are grouped around, usually 
holding a variety of musical instruments. This is the 
first scene in the so-called Cycle of the Great Renuncia- 
tion. The story is then developed by representing the 
satiety and disgust which came upon the prince. After 
seeing the visions of old age, sickness and death which 
the gods contrived for him, followed by the vision of the 
holy mendicant, his heart was filled with a great sorrow 
for mankind, and a great yearning to find deliverance 
for all men from this hideous chain of birth and rebirth 
with its attendant suffering. At this point the gods 
arranged that he should awake one night and behold the 
ladies of his palace in the repellent abandon of satiated 
sleep a scene which is also represented in Gandhara 
art, spmetisncs in a very realistic way. This decides the 
question for Siddhartha. He arises from his couch and 
flees, the gates of the closely guarded palace being mira- 



28 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

culously opened for him by the gods. In the sculptures 
representing this flight from Kapilavastu, the young 
prince is shown mounted on his faithful horse Kanthaka 
with the groom Chandaka in attendance. That no noise 
may occur to alarm the guards, the horse's feet are up- 
held by Yakshas, a sort of gnome in Buddhist story, 
while in some compositions the Evil Spirit, Mara, bow 
in hand, is shown pleading with the prince to abandon 
his intentions, for which purpose he offers him the so- 
vereignty of the world, as in the Temptation in Chris- 
tian story. The female figure on the right in No. 572 
is the City Goddess, or N agara-devatd of Kapilavastu 
a conception traceable directly to Hellenistic art. (33-L, 
134, 154- A, 343, 345, 457, 572, 784, 1265, 1267, 13V7, 1718, 
1774, 1882, 1907, 1908, 1914.) 

14. The cutting of the hair. There is no sculp- 
ture in this Museum, nor indeed any sculpture so far 
known in Gandhara, which illustrates this incident in 
the Buddha story. But the legend may be mentioned 
here with propriety as explanatory of sculpture No. 163. 
The Bodhisattva, having fled a certain distance from 
the royal capital, dismounted from his horse and pre- 
pared to send it back to the city. He felt it necessary 
to abandon also his princely dress and jewels. How 
these were given to the groom, and an exchange of gar- 
ments effected with a hunter who chanced to appear at 
that moment, wearing a cloth of that reddish yellow 
colour associated even to-day in India with mendicants 
we need not detail here as none of these incidents are 
as yet included in this collection. The cutting of the 
hair, however, is more important. All the texts agree 
that he drew his sword with his right hand, seized his 
long locks with his left, and cut them completely off 
with one stroke. 1 The Bodhisattva, then cast both hair 

1 Despite this the Gandhara Buddha is never depicted with shaven head 
although his monks are so represented. This seems to indicate that the Buddha 
image is due to artists better acquainted with the gods of Olympus than Buddhist 
texts and more careful of aesthetics than of orthodoxy. 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 29 

and turban into the air where they were seized by the 
deities of the Trayastrimsa Heaven, who bore them off 
to their own abode as objects of worship. It is the royal 
turban, worshipped of the gods, which appears on Nos. 
163 and 437. (163, 437.) 

15. Farewells o Kanthaka and Chandaka. 

Among the Seven Jewels which are naturally possessed 
by all Universal Monarchs and therefore by all Buddhas, 
three are especially important, to wit the " Jewel of 
Women", the "Jewel of Horses", and the "Jewel of 
Parinayakas ". In the case of a Universal Monarch this 
word parindyaka is interpreted to mean " leader of an 
army ", In the Buddha story, however, it means nothing 
more than leader of the horse afore-mentioned. The 
three jewels in the case of Gautama, therefore, are : 
Yasodhara his wife, Kanthaka his horse, and Chandaka 
his groom ; and the fact that the two latter at least were 
born simultaneously with Siddhartha himself is quaintly 
called to mind by sculptures of the infant colt and the 
infant groom, now in the Calcutta and Lahore Museums. 
The touching closeness of relation between Siddhartha 
and his horse is thus established, and it is not surpris- 
ing that even the latter was deeply moved when the 
moment came for Chandaka to lead him back to the 
city, leaving the young prince to wander alone as a humble 
mendicant. The incident, which is perhaps as human 
and touching as any in eastern story, is depicted in sculp- 
ture No. 354. According to the tiuddkachanta, the 
grief-stricken horse is kissing his master's feet and bath- 
ing them in tears. The sorrowing groom stands near by, 
holding the princely jewels which Siddhartha has just 
entrusted to him. (354.) 

16. The six years o austerities. The Peshawar 
Museum is fortunate in having a sculpture representing 
this period of Siddhartha's life, as, apart from bas-reliefs, 
only one other image of the emaciated Buddha is known. 
The event illustrated by this sculpture, No. 799, PL 3, 



30 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

has been already referred to in the Introduction. (799, 
1413, 1841, 1911, 1912, 1913.) 

17. Hymn of the Naga Kalika. After subjecting 
his flesh for six years to all the austerities prescribed by 
Hindu ascetism, the Bodhisattva lost faith in these 
methods, and to the disgust of the five disciples who 
had attached themselves to him, partook of food and 
proceeded to enter on a more rational course of contem- 
plation. Having refreshed himself and recovered from 
the rigours of his previous penances, he is said to have 
removed from that place toward a certain pipal tree, 
the tree under which the Truth was destined to be mani- 
fested to him. For this reason it is now known as the 
Bodhi-tree, and what is said to be a descendant of it is 
still worshipped at Bodh-gaya. In his progress toward 
this spot it so chanced that he passed the abode of Ka- 
lika, the king of the Nagas. Perceiving the effulgence 
of the Master's body, Kalika and his wife Suvarnapra- 
bhasa issued forth, and after uttering a hymn of praise, 
pronounced the prophecy of his approaching Enlighten- 
ment. As is usual in the representation of these serpent 
deities, the Naga and his wife are shown in the sculp- 
ture with the lower portion of their bodies concealed 
by a railing, which is understood to surround the tank 
in which they lived. They are further distinguished 
from ordinary mortals by the cobra's hood or hoods 
which rise from behind the neck and arch over, some- 
times quite covering the head. (455, 792, 1887.) 

18. The approach to the Bodhi-seat. After receiv- 
ing the prediction of the Naga Kalika the Bodhisattva 
continues his march to the Bodhi-tree. On the way he 
meets a grass cutter named Svastika who presents him 
with a bundle of soft, green grass. It is this which he 
accepts in the scenes on the right of Nos. 1723, 1840, and 
later strews on the Bodhi-seat. In No. 787 we see the 
seat prepared and the expectant Earth goddess is depict- 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 31 

ed a mi-corps before the throne. The amorous couple to 
the left appear to be Mara and his daughter. (787, upper 
panel, 792, 1723, 1840, 1884.) 

The identification of the male figure arising from the 
throne is uncertain. It does not appear to be the spirit 
of the Bodhi-tree such as is seen in the pipal foliage of 
No. 1884 but seems to correspond to the naked figure 
with bow seen in No. 1884 and to the kneeling figure of 
No. 1840. 

19. The Temptation. The attainment of Supreme 
Enlightenment on the part of a Buddha is manifestly 
a psychological experience of which sculptural represent- 
ation is impossible. The importance of the event to 
the whole Buddhist world, however, was such that sculp- 
tures, which should at least call it to mind, were impera- 
tively demanded, and these artists had to supply. To 
do so, they had recourse to that incident which was most 
closely associated with the Enlightenment in time, namely 
the Temptation of Gautama by the Evil Spirit, Mara, 
for just before the supreme moment, as the Bodhisattva 
sat beneath the Bodhi-tree, Mara fearful lest the Buddha 
might accomplish his ends and thus not only save him- 
self but open up the path of salvation for countless others, 
approached him and tried to persuade him to give up 
the quest. He is said to have tempted him with the 
lust of power, and the lust of pleasure, commanding his 
own daughters to disport themselves before him, cf. No. 
353 ; but the Bodhisattva rose superior to his wiles. 
Thereupon Mara summoned his demons and made a 
furious and appalling assault upon Gautama, seeking to 
dislodge him from the seat. But Gautama merely touched 
his right hand to the ground and called upon the Earth 
goddess to bear witness to his right to remain where he 
was, by virtue of his acts in previous existences, cf. No. 
1844, PL 6(A), and ultimately the hosts of Mara the 
Evil One were forced to retire discomfited. It was in 
the course of the succeeding night that the moment of 



32 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

supreme Enlightenment ensued, and Siddhartha passed 
from the state of being a Bodhisattva to full and perfect 
Buddhahood. (128, 343 (?), 352, 353, 355, 1232, 1723, 
1844, 1904.) 

20. The offering of the four bowls. Some time 
after the Enlightenment, the Buddha we may now^call 
him so for the first time arose from the Bodhi-seat~and 
betook himself to a neighbouring grove, where he fell 
into an ecstatic trance which lasted for seven weeks, 
while he " enjoyed the beatitude of Deliverance ". At 
the end of this period the Guardians of the Four Quarters, 
realizing that the trance was at an end and that he would 
be in sore need of food after this prolonged fast, appfoa- 
ched his seat, each with a golden bowl, for they knew 
that, having no begging bowl, he could not receive the 
food that the gods were contriving for him. But the 
Buddha refused to accept the golden bowls, as they were 
of precious materials and unsuited for a religious men- 
dicant. The guardians then offered a whole series of 
other bowls of less and less valuable materials. All were 
refused, until they offered four bowls of stone. These 
he could accept, but in order that no one of the Guard- 
ians of the Quarters should be honoured by the accept- 
ance of his bowl to the sorrow and chagrin of the remain- 
ing three, he was pleased to accept all four, which were 
straightway moulded into one by his miraculous power. 1 
In No. 1545 we see the four Lokapalas, from one of whom 
the Buddha has already accepted a bowl. (437-M, 1545, 
1922, 1934.) 

Parallel groovings appear on the bowls of Buddha 
images to mark the four-fold origin. Cf. No. 208 and 
the alms bowls in the Table Cases. 

It is of interest to note, furthermore, that the Buddha's 
Begging Bowl represented on sculpture No. 171-A is 
supposed to have been preserved in Peshawar, at what 

* A small steatite plaque No. 437-M depicting this icene will be found in Case 
B but is not' of the Gandhora school. 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 33 

was called the Patrachaitya or Hall of the Bowl. This, 
as M. Foucher has shown, stood originally at the place 
now known as Panjtirath, where are the modern Hindu 
burning grounds. 

21. The offering of the two merchants. On the 

pedestal of the Emaciated Gautama from Takht-i-Bhi, 
No. 799, is the only representation so far found in Gan- 
dhara of the story of the two merchants. When the 
time arrived for the Buddha to wake from his seven 
weeks' trance after the Enlightenment, a caravan of 
merchants happened to approach the grove wherein he 
sat. This was the caravan of the merchants Trapusha 
and Bhallika of Orissa, who being cautious men had 
placed two bullocks at the head of the caravan to go on 
before and give warning of approaching danger. On 
nearing the grove these bullocks suddenly showed signs 
of fear, and refused to advance. Nay, they even lay 
down, while the other bullocks also stopped and paid no 
heed to the blows of their drivers. It was even found 
that the wheels of the wagons had become mysteriously 
fixed. At this juncture a stranger, the Genius of the 
grove in bodily form, appeared before the terrified mer- 
chants and told them of the Buddha's presence and his 
need of food. Thereupon they approached his seat under 
the spirit's guidance and made him offerings of honey- 
comb and wheat, which he received in the four-fold bowl 
he had just accepted from the Guardians of the Heavenly 
Quarters. The accuracy with which the story is told on 
this pedestal is remarkable. Every detail of the legend 
is faithfully and cleverly depicted. (Pedestal of No. 799.) 

22. The first sermon. The time had now come for 
the Buddha to enter actively on his ministry. Mention 
has already been made of the five disciples who attach- 
ing themselves to him during his asceticism deserted him 
in disgust when abandoning his austerities he struck out 
a path for himself. These erstwhile disciples, on leaving 



34 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

him, had betaken themselves to the famous Mrigadava 
or Deer Park at Sarnath, near Benares. The Buddha, 
therefore, having decided to address himself first to them, 
proceeded to Benares, and it was in the Deer Park that 
lie preached the First Sermon, or for the first time " Turn- 
ed the Wheel of the Law ", as the event is described by 
Buddhists. In the older school of Indian sculpture, 
where the figure of the Buddha is never depicted, the 
incident can only be represented symbolically, and the 
symbol chosen is naturally the wheel. Such symbolical 
representations also occur in Gandhara, but usually the 
Buddha is himself shown in the sculptures of this school, 
seated in the midst of the famous " Monks of the Band 
of Five ", as they are called. The symbolism has not 
disappeared, however, for in almost all cases the sacred 
wheel is shown, usually on the front of the Teacher's 
Seat, and sometimes in connection with the trident or 
trimla representing the three jewels of Buddhism, namely, 
the Buddha, the Doctrine and the Community of Monks, 
for it was on this occasion that the third jewel, the mo- 
nastic order, came into being. The deer reclining on 
either side of these symbols serve to remind the spec- 
tator of the Mrigadava, the place where the sermon was 
delivered. Cf.' No. 1844, PL 6(B). (129, 145 (?), 349, 
455, 760, 762, 767, 772, 773, 786, 812, 920-M, 1250, 1252, 
1781, 1844-B.) 

33. Conversion of Kasyapa. Kasyapa of Uruvilva 
was the eldest of three brothers, all famous Hindu asce- 
tics, who dwelt with a vast multitude of disciples on the 
bank of a river near the place where the Buddha had 
himself practised austerities. After beginning his minis- 
try at Benares he betook himself to Kasyapa's hermit- 
age, intending to convert him and all his followers. But 
this proved no easy task, and the Buddha was obliged 
to have recourse to some five hundred miracles to effect 
his purpose. One of these was the Victory over the 
Serpent, which is represented in the sculptures mentioned 
at the end of this paragraph. In one corner of the 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 35 

hermitage, so the story runs, was a fire temple in which 
dwelt a particularly venomous serpent. The Brahmans 
were so terrified of this monster, that they had aban- 
doned the temple altogether and no one dared to approach 
it. To impress them with his transcendental powers, 
the Buddha craved permission to occupy this building. 
Kasyapa, of course, refused, thinking that the Master 
would certainly lose his life, but was forced to yield finally 
to the Buddha although warning him that it meant 
certain death. He, however, calmly entered the place 
and took his seat. The details of the legend vary slightly, 
but for our purpose it suffices to say that, as soon as the 
Buddha had seated himself, his body began to emit so 
dazzling an effulgence that the terrible serpent was over- 
awed, until laying aside his anger, he crept meekly into 
the Buddha's begging bowl. Cf. Nos. 1373, 1378, etc. 
The Brahmans meanwhile, having seen the extraordi- 
nary light issuing from the temple, concluded that the 
place was on fire, and hastened thither with jars of water 
to extinguish the supposed conflagration. Sculpture No. 
136 shows them mounting on ladders for the purpose. 
(136, 146, 149, 768, 769, 790, 1373, 1376, 1378, 1451, 
1549, 1577, 1710, 1842, 1851, 1890.) 

It is satisfactory to observe that in the end the Bud- 
dha's heroic efforts were crowned with success, and the 
whole community of the Kasyapas joined the newly found- 
ed church. 

For some unknown reason this legend appears to 
have enjoyed exceptional local popularity and the Museum 
possesses no less than fifteen reliefs or statuettes dealing 
with the conquest of the snake, besides sixteen frag- 
ments undoubtedly from these or similar representations, 
including four small detached hands holding an alms- 
bowl in which the snake lies coiled. Cf. Nos. 84-M, 
742-M, 820-M, 1056. 

24. The ordination o! Nanda. One of the most 
extraordinary legends in Buddhist story is that of the 



36 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

conversion of Nanda, a half-brother of the Buddha. The 
latter is said to have led him away from his well-beloved 
wife by the device of giving him his bowl to carry and 
refusing to retake it until they reached the monastery, 
where the young man was promptly shaved and ordained 
as a monk, despite all his protestations. Of. No. 1892. 
Thereafter he was to all intents and purposes a prisoner, 
and his various attempts to escape are recounted by the 
texts. One of these is illustrated by sculpture No. 152. 
(152, 1892.) 

Once while the Buddha was abroad, Nanda contrived 
to steal out of the monastery and began to make Jiis 
way stealthily through the surrounding grove of trees. 
But the Buddha, although at a great distance from the 
spot, perceived what was taking place, and flying rapidly 
through the air, alighted some little distance in front 
of the fugitive. Seeing the Master approach, the wretched 
youth hid quickly behind a tree, but lo ! as the .Buddha 
drew near, the tree was suddenly raised bodily into the 
air, disclosing the unfortunate Nanda to his gaze. Need- 
less to say, the young man was straightway marched 
back to the monastery. 

There may be a moral to this story, but it must be 
acknowledged that it is somewhat obscure. Is it being 
too charitable to imagine that the legend is meant to 
portray the almost overweening love and pity of the 
Buddha, who to save humanity was cruel to be kind ? 
This interpretation would be easier, though, could we 
see in Nanda any special need for the salvation forced 
upon him. But no such need is apparent, and as the 
story stands, he figures rather as a martyr to the cause. 

25. Visit o! Indra. Once while the Buddha was 
meditating in a solitary grotto on a hilltop in Magadha, 
the desire arose in Indra to visit him, and he accordingly 
despatched his harpist, Panchasikha, to announce his 
arrival. The sculpture from Takht-i-Bahl representing 
this scene, No. 787, shows the Buddha seated within 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 37 

the cave. The little lions beneath the seat, as well as 
the other animals in the back-ground, indicate both the 
wildness of the site and the peace which the Buddha's 
presence caused to fall upon all creatures. The harpist 
in No. 787 is shown at the (proper) right of the grotto, 
while the kneeling figure at the Buddha's left is Indra 
himself, distinguished in Gandhara sculpture by his pecu- 
liarly high headdress. (787, central panel, 1909, 1942, 
1944.) 

26. Conversion of the Yaksha Atavika. The story 
goes that a certain king of Atavi, in order to save his 
own life, had promised the Yaksha Atavika, living in a 
neighbouring forest, to give him one of his subjects daily. 
The pact had been duly kept, and one by one the wretched 
inhabitants had been handed over to the ogre, until there 
was no one left to sacrifice except the young son of the 
king, and orders were accordingly issued to have him 
led away to the monster. But at this juncture the Bud- 
dha, whose sympathy appears to have been somewhat 
tardy in this case, betook himself to the ogre's abode, 
and finding him absent, forced his way in and seated 
himself on the throne. The yakslids fury on discover- 
ing him there can be imagined, but was utterly futile, 
and the conclusion of the whole matter was the conver- 
sion of the demon. Thus, when the attendants arrived 
with the young prince, the yaksha, instead of devouring 
him, lifted him up in his arms before the Buddha and 
made obeisance. This is the moment depicted in sculp- 
ture No. 471. (471.) 

27. The offering of the handful of dust. It was 

a daily custom of the Buddha, who enjoined the same 
upon his monks, to wander abroad at a certain hour 
in quest of food, as the whole Order were dependent for 
their sustenance upon the voluntary offerings of the 
pious. Once, as the Buddha was going along with his 
begging bowl, held out before him, he met two little boys 
playing in the road. One was suddenly moved to make 



38 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

an offering, but having nought else to offer reached up 
to the bowl and dropped into it a generous handful of 
dust. The Buddha was touched by this childish act of 
piety, and some authorities assert he prophesied that 
the boy would become a mighty Buddhist monarch in 
some future life. In this way it is sought to identify 
the child in this legend with the great Asoka. This 
probably explains the frequency with which the scene 
was sculptured. His companion is said to have become 
a Minister during Asoka's reign. (150, 344, 433, 671, 
759, 1554, 1708, 1776.) 

28. The white dog which barked at the Buddha. 

Once, while in the country of Sravasti (the modern 
Saheth-Maheth in the United Provinces), the Buddha 
went to visit a certain man named Suka, who was not 
at home when he arrived. Now it so happened that 
Suka had a white dog, which at the moment of his en- 
trance, was eating out of a dish on the top of a couch. 
For some reason the sight of the Buddha enraged the 
dog mightily, and ho barked in fury. The Buddha 
remonstrated, and told him that lie had fallen into that 
estate because he had been so rich. Thereupon the dog 
deeply mortified, crept away to a far corner. Suka, 
returning, found the dog in this abject condition and 
asked what had happened. When he heard the story 
he hastened to the Buddha to demand an explanation. 
But the latter suavely informed Suka that the dog was 
his own departed father come back to life in canine form, 
and bade him, as a test, demand of the dog where he 
had buried his treasure previous to his death. The 
bewildered Suka did as he was told and to his astonish- 
ment the dog crawled under the couch and began to 
dig. When the place was opened up, the treasure was 
disclosed and the truth of the Buddha's words demon- 
strated. (35 L, 794, 1417.) 

29. The submission of the Naga Apalala. Apalala 

was a Naga-raja, inhabiting the source of the Swat River, 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 39 

north of the modern Peshawar District. Periodically, 
for his own ends, he used to flood the country, causing 
the inhabitants endless suffering. The compassionate 
Buddha therefore betook himself to the Naga's abode. 
His attendant, Vajrapani, smote the mountain side with 
his mighty vajra, and so terrified the Naga-raja, that 
he issued forth from his pool and submitted himself to 
the Buddha, who preached the Good Law to him. He 
was converted and promised to desist from ruining the 
country, but he pointed out to the Buddha that his own 
nourishment depended upon these floods, as without 
them he could not get the grain upon which he lived, 
and so he was allowed to flood the land once every twelve 
years. That is why floods occur in the Swat Valley at 
intervals of just twelve years ! Cf. No. 28-L, PI. 5(a). 
(28-L, 336, 428.) 

30. Conversion o Aiigulimala. Ahingsaka, the son 
of a Brahman of Kosala, was sent by his parents to the 
University of Taxila where excelling the other pupils 
he excited their envy. Determined to injure him they 
went secretly to his professor, and accused Ahingsaka 
of taking improper liberties with his wife. The professor 
was not inclined at first to believe the accusation, but 
his excited suspicions appeared to receive confirmation 
on seeing that his wife spoke kindly to Ahiijgsaka, and 
he determined to compass his pupil's destruction. As 
this could not be done openly he informed Ahingsaka 
that it would not be in his power to instruct him further 
unless he destroyed a thousand persons and brought 
their fingers to him as evidence of their death. Ahing- 
saka replied that it was not customary in his family to 
do evil to others, but seeing no other way of prosecuting 
his studies he resolved, because of his love of learning, 
to carry out his professor's orders. Going into a forest 
where certain paths met he began to murder all who passed, 
As he cut off and wore the fingers of his victims ho 
received the name of Angulinidla. (158, 816- A, 1371.) 

D 2 



40 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

When he had murdered nine hundred and ninety- 
nine persons his mother, hearing that the ferocious robber 
was her son, immediately went to see him and remon- 
strate with him. He was about to kill her to complete 
his tale of victims when the Buddha, who recognised 
that Angulimala had, from merit acquired in previous 
births, sufficient virtue to enable him to enter the priest- 
hood, set out to convert him. He arrived just in time 
and, needless to say, succeeded in his mission. 

In No. 1371 on the right is seen Angulimala with his 
headdress of fingers preparing to slay his mother, then 
on the left, having released her, he attacks with vigour 
the Buddha whose gentle words, however, have sfrch 
effect that the robber throws himself at the feet of the 
Blessed One. His cruel sword and hateful coronet straight- 
way fall from him and are displayed on the lower edge 
of the panel. 

Two scenes of this drama are also represented in relief 
No. 816-A. 

31. The nursling of the dead woman. A certain 
king's senior wives being jealous of the beautiful youngest 
wife, who was with child, bribed the palace Brahman 
to inform the king that not only was the young wife 
herself ill-omened but also that the child born of her 
would cause the destruction of both the king and his 
kingdom. To escape these threatened calamities and at 
the same time to avoid shedding blood, the king immured 
her alive in a tomb. However, owing to the merit ac- 
quired by her and her unborn child in former births she, 
after death, was not only delivered of a living son but 
was able miraculously to suckle him. For three years 
this child Sudaya remained within the tomb, until the 
crumbling of the wall enabled him to free himself. For 
three more years Sudaya lived in the jungle with the 
birds and wild beasts as his only companions, sheltering 
each night in the tomb. (1885.) 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND.. 41 

The Buddha filled with compassion for the child, 
visited the spot and Sudaya despite his tender years 
became a monk and later converted his father. 

In the relief No. 1885 is seen the tomb with open 
front whence projects the upper part of the body of the 
dead woman, her left side being depicted as almost a 
skeleton whereas the right breast is represented round 
and full as if that of a living woman. The naked little 
child standing with his back to the tomb is Sudaya, his 
clasped hands expressing his adoration of the Buddha 
who advances towards him followed by a youthful 
Vajrapani. 

32. The miracle of Sravasti. One of the acts 
obligatory upon a Buddha is the confounding of the 
heretics by the display of miraculous power. This in 
the case of Gautama Buddha was performed at Sravasti 
in the presence of King Prasenajit and of a vast con- 
course of people, it consisted lirstly in a double miracle 
of walking in the air while emitting alternately flames 
and waves from the upper and lower parts of his body, 
and secondly, in multiplying images of himself up to 
the heavens and in all directions while he preached the 
law. (85-L, 108, 158, 171, 280, 374, 375, 503, 847, 848, 
1270, 1361, 1412, 1527, 1528, 1553, 1554, 1727, 1729, 
1730, 1731, 1732, 1733, 1735, 1736, 1738.) 

Representations of this double miracle of fire and 
water are exceedingly rare in Gandhara but a recent 
acquisition, No. 85-L, shows the Buddha in the air with 
streams of water beneath his leet while flames issue from 
his shoulders. 

In contrast with the rarity of this scene of the double 
miracle are the numerous representations of the second 
exhibition of Buddha's power. According to one text, 
" Brahma takes a place at his right and Indra at his 
left while the two 'naga kings, iNanda and Upananda, 
create a wonderful lotus on the corolla of wiiich the 
Blessed One seats himself. Then by the force of 



42 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

magic power above this lotus lie created another and on 
this one also a Buddha was seated with his legs crossed 

and thus in front, behind, at the sides ". 

Eepresentation of this act of the Miracle of Sravasti 
appears to have met with popular approval and the Mu- 
seum possesses more than twenty reliefs illustrating this 
legend, PL 2(a). In its simplest form we see the Buddha 
in the preaching attitude seated on a lotus between Indra 
and BrahnrI with a standing Bodhisattva on either side 
and two smaller meditating Buddhas seated under sedi- 
culoo on the upper edges of the relief. Cf. Nos. 158, 171. 
Later the scene transforms itself into a kind of trans- 
figuration where we see the Buddha in the midst of Boahi- 
sattvas, ndgas, and Buddhas and other attendant figures 
while legendary scenes and even stupas are added, so 
that the composition becomes a very epitome as it were 
of the repertory of the school. Cf. No. 1554. 

33. Makandika offers his daughter to Buddha. 

A wandering ascetic Makandika overcome by the Buddha's 
personal beauty offers to him his beautiful daughter 
Anupama. As the Museum contains several representa- 
tions of this scene the legend appears to have been a 
popular one, the self-control of the Buddha in refusing 
so charming a girl proving no doubt most edifying to 
the faithful. Makandika turning towards the Buddha 
holds the shrinking and embarrassed Anupama by his 
left hand, his right holding aloft the water pot, indica- 
tive of his intended gift. (133, 802, 806, 1922.) 

34. The invitation of Srigupta. Srlgupta, a wealthy 
householder of Rajagriha and the follower of a heretical 
teacher named Purana, wishing to destroy the Buddha 
and his monks, invites him to his house to partake of 
a meal. In the courtyard of the house he digs a ditch, 
fills it with burning charcoal and conceals this under 
a light covering and also poisons the food. The Buddha 
knowing Srigupta's evil intent, but realizing he can be 
converted to the right path accepts the invitation. By 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 4& 

the power of the Buddha the fiery ditch becomes a tank 
of lotus flowers. Purana and his followers flee before 
this manifestation of superiority, Srigupta confesses his 
faults and becomes a follower of the Buddha, who fur- 
ther shows his power by rendering the poisoned food 
innocuous. In the fragmentary sculptures Nos. 82-L, 
1079, 1849, we see lotus flowers supporting the feet of 
the Buddha and of his entourage as they advance to- 
wards the gateway of the house. (82-L, 770, 1079, 1849.) 

35. The visit of the sixteen disciples of the 
Brahman ascetic Bavari. To a Brahman ascetic named 
Bavari living on the banks of the Godavari came another 
Brahman demanding five hundred pieces of money. Not 
obtaining these he cursed Bavari saying " May thy head 
on the seventh day hence cleave into seven ". A 
benevolent deity of the place comforts Bavari who at his 
suggestion sends his sixteen disciples to the Buddha then 
in a rock temple of Magadha. Each of the sixteen asks 
a question of the Buddha who resolves all their doubts. 
(238, 1151.) 

36. Hariti and Panchika. Apart from images of 
Buddha and Bodliisattvas none are so frequently re- 
covered by excavation in Gandhara as those of Hariti 
and her spouse Panchika. Hariti, a demon of the yaksha 
class was in the habit of devouring the children of Kaja- 
griha. To impress her with the enormity of her con- 
duct, the Buddha hid under his almsbowl the most be- 
loved of her five hundred offspring, and when the mother's 
heart was grieved pointed out to her how much more 
grieved were those who by her misdeeds had lost all tLeir 
children. Thereupon she was immediately converted. 
I-tsing tells us that her image was found under the porch 
or in a corner of the refectory of all the Buddhist monas- 
teries of India and that she was represented with a child 
in her arms and three or four around her knees, Cf. 
Nos. 241, 1416. This mode of representing her disguised 
so well the horror of her real nature that she was invoked 



44 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

not only to cure sick children but also to bestow off- 
spring. She thus became the goddess of fertility in all 
senses and that is why she is shown as in Nos. 78-M and 
686-Mwith cornucopia. (76-L, 77-M, 78-M, 241, 282, 
385, 686-M, 969-M ? 1093, 1096, 1101, 1151, 1243, 1244, 
1299, 1416, 1773, 1779, 1843.) 

There can be no doubt that the male figure on Hariti's 
right in No. 241, PL 7, and on whose left knee she so 
familiarly rests her right hand in Nos. 78-M, 686-M, if 
not her spouse must have at least been considered so by 
popular opinion. Formerly this figure was believed to 
be Kubera, the Guardian of the Northern quarter and 
the king of the yakshas, but in a text of the Chinese canon 
it is definitely stated " Hariti is the wife of Panchika " 
and it is Panchika, the genius of riches and the general 
of Kubera that we see by the side of Hariti in such sculp- 
tures as Nos. 78-M, 241, 686-M, 1093, 1299, 1416. His 
lance indicates his rank as sendpati in the army of Kubera, 
the purse marks him as the bestower of riches. In No. 
78-M, the pedestal shows coins pouring from overturned 
vases and the feet of both Hariti and Panchika rest on 
piles of coins in No. 686-M. Cf. No. 282. 

As children and wealth are the commonest wishes 
of the human heart it is not surprising that the " Goddess 
of Fertility " and the " Genius of Riches " should have 
received the greater part of the devotion of the faithful 
laity and that images of the Tutelary Couple should be 
so abundant. 

Later and more uncommon images of Hariti are seen 
in No. 1773, PL 4(6), and in No. 1926. 

37. Devadatta's attempts to kill the Buddha. 

The Judas of Buddhist story is the Buddha's wicked 
cousin Devadatta. This cousin could never endure his 
kinsman's fame and success and is said to have done his 
utmost to ruin him at all stages of his career. He is 
even credited with having thrice attempted his life, once 
1)V hiie^ assassins, cf. Nos. 1844-D, PL 6(D), 1850, again 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA LEGEND. 45 

by hurling a huge rock down upon him, cf. Nos. 1898, 
1918, and finally by letting loose a furious elephant. 
This last attempt took place at Kajagriha, and the ele- 
phant is shown in most of the sculptures just entering 
the city gate. The attempt of course failed. The Buddha 
simply laid his hand on the elephant's forehead and all 
his fury left him. Cf. Nos. 145, 774, 1550, 1850, 1942. 
(145, 774, 1550, 1844-D, 1850, 1898.) 

38. The visit of the Naga Elapatra. A certain 
bhikshu in the time of the Buddha Kasyapa destroyed 
an eld tree for which action he was born later as a ndga 
or water spirit named Elapatra. In the time of the 
Buddha he inhabited a tank near Taxila and in order 
to learn when he could again receive human form and, 
by becoming a disciple, attain final deliverance decided 
to visit the Buddha then at Benares. Various accounts 
are given but one text states that extending his body 
from Taxila to Benares his head reached to the spot 
where the Buddha was while his tail was still in his palace ! 
Then he bent his head before the world-honoured one 
who said " Welcome Elapatra ! It is long since I have 
seen you. Welcome Oh, Naga Kaja." (1716.) 

Another account says that using his magical power 
Elapatra appeared first as a universal monarch, but when 
reprimanded by the Buddha resumed his serpent form. 

In No. 1716 we see the Buddha seated as in the First 
Sermon with his five monks while before his throne is 
a polycephalous snake whose lengthy tail runs along the 
lower edge of the relief. Elapatra also appears as an 
adoring, princely personage on the extreme left of the 
sculpture but his real condition is indicated by the cobra 
canopy over his head. 

Hiuan-Tsang describes the tank of the Naga-raja 
Elapatra as being 70 li north-west of Taxila and there 
is no doubt that its position is marked to-day by the 
tank of sacred fish at Hasan Abdal in the Sikh shrine 



46 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

known as the Panja Sahib, an example of how sites re- 
main sacred even when religions change. 

39. Death of the Buddha. The Death or Maha- 
parinirvana of the Buddha is said to have taken place 
after a short illness at Kusinagara, which some would 
identify with Kasia in the United Provinces, on the 13th 
of October 483 B.C. For the exact determination of 
this date we are indebted to the late Dr. Fleet. As 
indicated in the sculptures some of the Buddha's followers 
were present at his death bed. The number of these 
vary in the reliefs and only one need be mentioned here, 
namely, Ananda, the beloved disciple, the fainting figure 
before the couch. Where royal figures are introduced, 
they represent the nobles of Kusinagara, the so-called 
Malla chieftains. Cf. No. 1844, PL 6. In 975-M we 
have a very rare representation of the enshrouding of the 
Buddha. (27-L, 130, 437-M, 697-M, 775, 975-M, 1319, 
1844-E, 1846, 1883.) 

40. Cremation of the Buddha Ananda is said to 
have asked the Buddha what his wishes were in regard 
to the disposal of his body, and to have been instructed 
to leave the whole matter to the discretion of the leading 
laymen of the neighbourhood. Thus it came about that 
the noble Mallas were charged with the conduct of the 
funeral. The same ceremonies were observed as were 
performed at the death of a Universal Monarch. The 
body was enveloped in five hundred pieces of cloth, and 
placed in a coffin. This is variously described, but the 
most accepted tradition, is that it consisted of two large 
iron receptacles used for holding oil, and called in Sans- 
krit taila-drom. This preserved the ashes and saved 
them from becoming mixed with the remains of the fire 
itself, for the body was of course cremated. In the 
sculptures we see the blazing pyre and sometimes the 
attendants engaged in pouring water on the flames to 
extinguish them. (484, 697-M, 1319, 1901.) 



INTRODUCTION TO THE BTJDDHA LEGEND. 47 

41. Guarding and distribution of the Relics. 

After the cremation the Relics were taken in charge by 
the Mallas, and subsequently divided into eight portions 
under the supervision of the Brahman Drona, then dis- 
tributed among the eight communities whose claims the 
Mallas respected, and who built stupas to enshrine them. 
Sculpture No. 484 represents the division into eight parts, 
while the guarding of the Relics previous to this sub- 
division is portrayed in No. 1319. (484, 1319, 1846, 
1894.) 

It may be added that not one of these eight 
original deposits has ever been found. It is believed, 
however, that most of the original deposits were collected 
in the 3rd Century B.C. by the Emperor Asoka, who re- 
divided them into a multitude of small portions and 
distributed them in stupas throughout his dominions. ]t 
was probably from one of these later deposits of Asoka 
that King Kanishka, in the second century of our era, 
obtained those fragments which he enshrined in Peshawar 
in a bronze relic casket and which were recovered by exca- 
vation in March 1909, by the late Dr. Spooner, PL 10. 
A plaster cast of this reliquary is exhibited in the Central 
Hall. 1 

42. The cult of the Relics. That the Relics so 
carefully collected and protected became objects of wor- 
ship, is nothing strange and calls for no explanation. The 
cult is represented by Nos. 165 and 449, etc. (164, 165, 
166, 396, 449, 1356, 1387, 1435, 1725, 1901.) 



1 The casket bears inscriptions stating that it was made by Ageeilaos, the 
superintendent of works at Kanishka's vihflra for the teachers of the Scirvaptivadin 
school, with the pious wish that the gift might redound to the welfare of all 
creatures. 



CHAPTER in. 

THE SCULPTURES. 

Religious piety has in all ages impelled its votaries to 
dedicate to shrines and temples memorials of all kinds 
likely to advance their own merit or strengthen the faith 
of others. That which in contemporary Christian art 
expressed itself in frescoes and sculpture took in Gan- 
dhara similar forms of which, however, only the more 
durable sculptures now remain. 

Scattered throughout the museum and arranged for 
purposes of exhibition these give little indication of +heir 
original purpose. The friezes formerly adorned the faces 
of the smaller stupas, 1 or the risers of staircases ; the 
images were placed in chapels or in niches in the veran- 
dah walls of the monasteries, while the false niches, of 
which so many fragments have been recovered, were 
affixed to the domes of stupas appearing like dormer 
windows. Cf. Nos. 633M, 1548, 1552. Modillion cornices 
separated or surmounted the friezes, and acanthus capitals 
were once part of Indo-Corinthian pilasters from the fronts 
of chapels, and only rarely from columns. Atlantes, 
lions and elephants were used to support cornices and 
the stone umbrellas formed^ the crowning members of 
stupas. 

In the later period stucco was used abundantly for 
the adornment of stupas and walls generally and in this 
medium were executed not only endless Buddha and 
Bodhisattva figures but also legendary scenes, specimens 
of which appear in the collection. Cf. Cases 46 and 52. 

1 A stupa of the Kushan period was a solid dome-like mass of masonry raised 
on a square or circular plinth and erected to enshrine relics of the Buddha, or of 
some Buddhist saint or to commemorate some specially sacred spot. In Burma 
a stupa is commonly known as a pagoda, in Ceylon as a dagoba, and in Nepal 
aa a chaitya. Cf. photographs 1443, 1469 in the revolving case at the end of the 
gallery and No. 712 (Case 30) and No. 1846 (Case 77). 

48 



THE SCULPTURES. 49 

Excavation has made it plain that reliefs and images 
so multiplied that finally they invaded every corner of 
the monasteries and when courtyards and chapels could 
no longer contain them they displaced even the monks 
from their cells! 1 

Entrance Hall. The sculptures exhibited in the 
Entrance Hall are principally from excavations at Sahri- 
bahlol and Takht-i-Bahi ; but the four-armed HaritI, 
No. 1926, is from the hamlet Harichand in the Charsada 
Tahsil and the large standing Buddha, No. 1939, from 
the village of Lahore, the ancient Salatura, the birth- 
place of Panini. The two magnificent Buddha images, 
Nos. 14-46 and 1447, flanking the arch were recovered at 
Sahribahlol in 1909-10. The drapery, elongated lobes 
of the ears and the so-called webbing 2 between the fingers 
are all worthy of attention. Unexpected features in 
No. 1447 are the light moustache and the indication of 
the pupil of the eye. The hole in the forehead indicates 
the position of the jewel which formerly marked the 
urna. With these colossal images may be contrasted 
the delicately featured Buddha No. 239, the urna here 
being indicated by a raised, mole-like projection. The 
elaborate coiffure of No. 1157, long curly locks bound 
with a fillet of pearls, seems to indicate the Bodhisattva 
Maitreya, the coming Buddha. The standing Buddha 
with the begging bowl, No. 1163, was found at Takht-i- 
Bahi along with No. 1164, the larger figure beside it. 
When complete, the bowl of the former exhibited the 
grooving to which reference is made in paragraph 20 
of the Introduction. 

Sahribahlol also yielded No. 242, the headless Bodhi- 
sattva in the right hand passage. This is interesting not 

1 Marshall--<M<Ze to Taxila, p. 110, PL XXIII. 

2 The fingers are not entirely separated only the last joints being free. In 
all probability this originally was merely a technical expedient to strengthen the 
fingers but later appears to have been misunderstood and was taken to be one 
of the physical characteristics of a Buddha like the urna (Introd. 7). The sculp- 
tors themselves sometimes depict this " webbing " even where technical reasons 
scarcely demand it, as in 820 M. (Case L.) 



50 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

only for its general excellence but more particularly for 
its drapery and the manner in which the upper shawl- 
like garment covers but at the same time reveals the out- 
line of the jewelled armlet on the upper left arm. The 
precise form of this armlet is shown on the bare right 
arm. With this image should be compared the headless 
Bodhisattva figure, No. 1444, with the hands in dhar- 
machakra-mudrd and the feet, crossed at the ankles, 
resting on a small foot-stool. The large Buddha torso, 
No. 240, and the larger standing Buddha, No. 239, both 
from Sahribahlol, are among the best sculptures in the 
Museum. In both cases the drapery and hair are excel- 
lently rendered. The quietude and abstraction of the 
expression are in marked contrast to the vacancy or smug 
satisfaction which characterises some of the later images, 
as Nos. 1876, 1440, 87 L, but the headless goddess, No. 
1926, by the stairs on the left side, surpasses them both 
in interest and is remarkable for its non-Indian costume 
and for the fact that it has four arms, in which respect 
it differs from all the statues in the Museum save No. 
1773. There can be no doubt that this is intended for a 
figure of Hariti (Introd. 36). The colossal stucco Bud- 
dha head, No. 1910, was recovered in 1911-12 at Takht- 
i-Bahi and traces of the feet of the image are still preserv- 
ed there in situ. In all these colossal figures the modell- 
ing tends to coarseness in marked contrast with Nos. 239 
and 240. 

Central HalL In the Hall the sculptures are placed 
not only in Wall Cases described in detail below but in 
three Table Cases L, M, N, against the walls and piers of 
the side galleries and in the window openings. To the 
right of the door is No. 241, the Tutelary Couple, one of 
the best preserved reliefs in the Museum (Introd. 36), 
PL 7. Though not of the best period the drapery and 
the little yaJcshas on the pedestal still show some spon- 
taneity, and considerable technical skill is displayed in 
the modelling of the half averted faces of the protagonists. 



THE SCULPTURES. 51 

The opulent charms of the Goddess of Fertility find their 
appropriate counterpart in the corpulence of Panchika 
and the couple are the very embodiment of material 
prosperity and accommodating benevolence. 

Close to this is the fine relief No. 1944, depicting the 
Buddha seated in meditation in a cave, receiving the 
adoration of some divine or royal personages. 1 Of 
particular interest is the dated Kharoshthi inscription 
on the pedestal recording that in the year 89 a Buddhist 
monk named Dharmapriya dedicatee! this sculpture in 
honour of his teacher Buddhapriya and others for the 
bestowal of health on his brothers. This date corresponds 
to 2IC A.D. or, according to the more orthodox view, 
166 A.D. From the modelling of the Buddha's face, 
and the treatment of the hair and drapery it is plain that 
this relief must be assigned to a period when the school 
was in its full vigour, and is proof that long after the 
time of Kctnishka the artists of Gandhara could, at least 
in stone, execute works of considerable merit and employ 
with peculiar appropriateness a great part of the repertory 
of the school. Although the Buddha, Panchika, Vajra- 
pani and the princely visitors arc all conventionalized, 
skilful composition and the greatest technical skill are 
still displayed, and it is impossible to deny the charm 
and fidelity with which the artist has depicted the trees, 
birds and beasts of the Buddha's sylvan retreat. 

Buddha Images.* Standing against the walls and 
piers of the side galleries of the Hall is an unrivalled collec- 
tion of Gandhara images. These, with one exception, 2 
are of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. The former are 
placed in the right hand gallery or on stands in the Hall, 
the latter in the left hand gallery. The monotonous 
sameness of Buddha images is often remarked but a 
careful examination of the Peshawar figures reveals 

1 The relief appears to depict the Visit of Indra (Introd. 25), the harpist on 
the left being PaSchasikha and the kneeling elephant Airavata, 

2 No. 1427, the image of a royal female. 



52 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

great diversity. From the nature of the case the garments 
are invariable and the canonical postures are limited, 
but the treatment of the hair, the features and drapery 
bear witness to the versatility of the sculptors as well as 
to the gradual decay of the school. The commonest 
treatment of the hair is a naturalistic one, light wavy 
strands over the high ushnlsha. Examples of this will be 
seen in Nos. 1439, 1921, 1008, 1928, 1429, 1601, 1880, 
506. In No. 1921 the artist, untrammelled by tradition, 
has ventured to bind the base of the ushnlsha by a jewell- 
ed band, in No. 1008 the ushnlsha is markedly unobtru- 
sive. A less naturalistic but still pleasing treatment of 
the hair is seen in Nos. 1430, PL 9(a), 1424, 1425 
where the ushnlsha is treated schematically in little loose 
curls. A later treatment destined to achieve world-wide 
popularity in later Buddhist art is seen in Nos. 1877, 
1431, 1878 and 1448, where the whole head is covered by 
little snail-shell-like curls. In No. 1431 these, in keeping 
with the canon, turn to the right, but in Nos. 1878 and 
1448 the artist has been more careless or less orthodox. 
But the greatest conventionality and decadence are seen 
in Nos. 1871 and 1875 where meaningless crescents cover 
the head. These two images found within a few miles 
of each other possibly came from the same atelier. 

The faces exhibit no less variety than the hair and 
bear witness to the varying skill of the artists. The 
serenity and charm of No. 1928 are thoroughly in keeping 
with the character of the Buddha. Nos. 1439, 1921 
while still artistic masterpieces exhibit that tendency 
towards heaviness common to all the colossal images. 
Cf. Nos. 1446, 1447. Nos. 1429, 1449, 207 are products 
of the school at its best but Nos. 1452, 1880, 1877, 1878 
mark a decline towards that final decadence to which 
Nos. 1440 and 87 L are the pathetic witnesses. 

The majority of the seated figures are in the preaching 
attitude, but Nos. 1928, 1008, 1597, 1440, 1436 are shown 
in meditation and one late statue, 87 L, in the reassuring 



THE SCULPTURES. 53 

attitude abhayamudra, in which posture were formerly 
all the standing Buddha images in this gallery. 

The pedestals are of great interest and the simhdsana 
and reliefs worthy of study. Most of them depict donors 
adoring Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or cult objects, but on 
No. 238 the story of the Sixteen Brahman Ascetics (In- 
trod. 35) is most graphically and artistically treated. 

Usually the haloes are plain but on that of No. 238 
can still be seen an adoring Indra and No. 1424 is orna- 
mented with a narrow foliated band, close to and parallel 
to the edge. 

Image of Royal Female. But the most remarkable 
figure in this gallery is No. 1427, a royal female bearing 
a small shrine, PL 9(6). The face is broad and flat and 
the chin somewhat heavy. Above a jewelled fillet the 
hair is dressed high in waves, but below the fillet in little 
schematic curls one of which falls in front of either ear. 
The ears resemble those of Buddha and Bodhisattva 
images, though the elongated lobes are missing. A 
roughly cut dowel in the centre of the fillet seems to mark 
the position of a lost ornament, possibly a medallion 
resembling No. 221. 

The figure is clad in a short-sleeved robe falling to 
the feet. This is close fitting above the waist and ap- 
parently of some light and diaphanous fabric but judging 
from the drapery the skirt is of heavier material. A 
scarf hanging on the left side passing round the left upper 
arm and across the back and caught up on the left fore- 
arm hangs in a graceful loop in front of the body. 

Bound the neck is a flat jewelled torque with a circular 
pendant. A long flexible chain, presumably of fine metal, 
passing over the left shoulder falls almost to the right 
ankle where the ends are joined by a jewel. Most of the 
right arm is lost but the left displays a broad armlet of 
nine parallel bands with edges of seeming pearls. A 
heavy bracelet adorns the wrist and rings are worn on 



54 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

the thumb and two fingers of each hand. In the hands, 
fortunately preserved intact, is carried a small trefoil 
shrine which must formerly have held an image or 
reliquary. C/. Nos. 1364, 1391. 

Beneath the feet the Earth Goddess with outspread 
arms is seen rising d mi corps from acanthus foliage as 
though supporting the figure, which is probably that of 
a royal personage. 

The feeble indication of the folds of the drapery above 
the waist by incised lines would appear to assign the 
image to a somewhat late date but the figure is redeem- 
ed from mediocrity by the modelling. 

Although this is undoubtedly a lay personage all the 
conventions of the Buddha and Bodhisattva figures 
appear in the treatment of the hair, eyes, ears and chin, 
in the Praxitelean pose, the arrangement of the scarf 
and in the representation of the Earth Goddess. It 
seems unlikely, therefore, that any real attempt has been 
made at portraiture. 

Whether a halo decorated this figure is uncertain but 
it is plain that something is missing on either side of the 
head. 

Bodhisattva Images. The Bodhisattva figures in the 
left gallery include some of the most striking productions 
of the artists of Gandhara. Freed from the academic 
frigidity and restrictions of the Buddha image they were, 
in the case of these transcendent beings, able to give rein 
to their fancy and the sculptures bear witness to its exu- 
berance in the treatment of the drapery, jewels and 
coiffure. 

Unlike the Buddha who wears the three monastic 
robes the Bodhisattvas are clad in the two traditional 
Indian garments, but these are draped in a way which 
clearly betrays the hands of artists imbued with classic 
traditions. A short skirt tied by an ornamental cord, 
the* ends of which fall in front of the body, covers the 



THE SCULPTURES. 55 

lower limbs to the ankles. The archaistio and schematic 
treatment of the points of the garment, noticeably so 
in the standing figures Nos. 1872, 1866, PL 4(c), are features 
of special interest. A long shawl-like garment passes 
across the shoulders, is wrapped round the left upper 
arm, thrown behind and hangs by the left side. The 
other end usually falls in a graceful loop before the body 
and is upheld by the right arm. All the standing Bodhi- 
sattva images in this gallery wear sandals. 

But it is in the jewels that the sculptors display their 
greatest ingenuity. Eound the neck is usually a flat, 
jewelled torque, a flexible amulet carrier passes over the 
left oLoulder and under the right arm, and a second thick 
flexible necklace hangs low on the client culminating in 
front in the heads of two monsters contending for a jewel. 
Generally there is also another flexible necklace which 
passes over the left shoulder and right upper arm where 
it is prevented from slipping by a large flat armlet. This 
jewel-encrusted ornament is, on the left arm, covered 
by the upper garment but its outline is cunningly reveal- 
ed beneath the tightly drawn cloth. Earrings, some- 
times of elaborate form, as in Nos. 1428, 1438 and heavy 
bracelets invariably adorn these figures. 

In the Maitreya images the hair, bound by a jewelled 
fillet and falling behind the shoulders in wavy locks is 
looped above in a manner reminiscent of the Apollo 
Belvedere. Cf. Nos. 1422, 1866, PL 4(c). In the case 
of the other Bodhisattvas the hair is almost entirely 
concealed by an elaborate headdress ornamented by 
jewelled dragons and other monsters as in No. 1438 or 
by a plaque displaying a seated Buddha as in No. 1867. 
Frequently a roughly cut wedge-shaped dowel in front 
of the headdress marks the former existence of a sculp- 
tured ornament such as No. 221 in Case 11 and Nos. 
1099, 1137 in Case 44. An uncommon treatment of 
the coiffure is seen in the beautiful Bodhisattva head 

E 2 



56 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

No. 1879 where the hair falls to the shoulders in graceful 
curls. 

The urna is usually a small raised projection but was 
formerly marked by a jewel in Nos. 1604, 1879, 1438. 

Figures with looped hair and holding a flask in the 
left hand may with confidence be identified as the Bodhi- 
sattva Maitreya. No. 1438 with a purse or loop in the 
left hand is probably Avalokitesvara, but for want of 
definite attributes the identification of Nos. 1869, 1605, 
1600, 1435, 1925 remains somewhat doubtful. 

Like the Buddha figures these Bodhisattvas exhibit 
varying degrees of excellence. Among the finest are 
Nos. 1868, PL 4(c), 1422, 1438, 1879, while Nos. 1867, 
1866 seem to mark the school in its decline. 

The pedestals of the standing Bodhisattva images 
commonly show Bodhisattvas with donors, but those 
which are seated exhibit more variety, Bodhisattvas in 
two cases being replaced by cult objects, Maitreya's 
flask in No. 1435 and an incense burner in No. 1870. 

Table Case L. Excavations at Sahribahlol and 
Takht-i-Bahi yielded the small sculptures in this case. 
Elaborate compositions such as No. 1554 are the source 
of the fragments 812 M and 848 M, the latter being the 
front of a small chaitya or chapel. From Kasyapa scenes 
come the alms bowl with snake, the Brahman ascetic 
Kasyapa, 811 M, 820 M and the young Brahman 815 M. 
The hand with looped purse (?), 818 M, is seemingly 
from a figure of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara while 
849 M and 850 M are the left hands of Maitreya images. 
A lion fed by a little naked child, 822 M, is from the 
front of the simhdsana (lion throne) of a seated Buddha 
or Bodhisattva. 

Attention may be drawn to the contrast between the 
stucco figures 804-808 M from Takht-i-Bahi and the later 
and decadent ones with protuberant eyes, 840-1 M, 843 
M a?rd 876 M, recovered at Sahribahlol, 



THE SCULPTURES. 57 

Table Case M. In this case are miscellaneous sculp- 
tures of considerable interest from various sources. Multi- 
armed figures are rare in Gandhara but 942 M so depicts 
Vishnu while in 676 M we have a Siva with six arms. 
Although these are Hindu deities the material and tech- 
nique prove them to be of the later Gandhara school. 
The six-armed polycephalic Siva closely resembles the 
images on the reverse of certain coins of Huvishka. A 
goddess with goose, 941 M, is likewise seemingly a Hindu 
deity but probably still later in date. Two scenes from 
the Mahaparinirvana are shown in 697 M, and the Marri- 
age of the Bodhisattva and the Life in the Palace in 701 M, 
PfinrJiika and Hariti appear again in 686 M. The former 
not only carries a purse but, like his consort, rests his 
foot upon a heap of coins. A votive stupa is seen in 
633 M. The head 969 M is, from its wild expression, 
undoubtedly that of Panchika. With the stucco heads 
in this case should be compared those from Chinese Tur- 
kestan which clearly betray their indebtedness to the 
school of Gandhara. Metal images of this school are un- 
common but 695 M in copper repousse is one of the rare 
examples. In 943 M (a), (6), (c) we have three fine speci- 
mens of stucco heads still preserving traces of their original 
colouring. The steatite plaque 715 M from Tordher is 
not without interest and has its counterpart in 113M 
in Case B. 

Table Case N. The fragmentary sculptures in this 
case were excavated at Sahribahlol and Shah-ji-kl-dheri 
in 1910-11. In many cases, despite their fragmentary 
condition, it is still possible to state with some certainty 
the compositions of which they once formed part. The 
two right hands 740 M, 741 M are from small Bodhisattva 
figures, the snake in the alms bowl 742 M comes from a 
Ka^yapa scene such as No. 1373 or No. 1549, as does 
also 725 M. Some representation of the unidentified 
legend in No. 1844 (C) may have been the source of the 
figure with bowed head, 726 M, while the head of the 
Brahman ascetic, 728 M, is probably that of K?.'yapa, 



68 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

though it could possibly have come from such a sculpture 
as No. 1373. From some forest scene as No. 1151 or 
No. 1944 comes the damaged peacock, 739 M, and the 
Bodhisattva, 723 M, seated in pensive attitude is from 
a composition of the nature of No. 1150. Panchika, 
721 M, is from a representation of the Tutelary Couple. 
Of. 241. 

Want of space has made it necessary to exhibit sculp- 
tures in the four window recesses of the side galleries 
of the Central Hall. 

Windows in Right Gallery. 

1. Three friezes, Nos. 1421, 1423, 1426, recovered at 
Sahribahlol in 1909-10 seemingly illustrate one story. 
This has not been identified with certainty but may be 
that of the man who kicked his mother and was con- 
demned in consequence to bear on his head a burning 
wheel. Cf. No. 1714. 

2. A beautiful frieze, No. 1418, though classic in 
feeling betrays the country of its origin. The vine may 
be an importa.tion but the seeming cupids are more pro- 
bably yakshas and the animals are certainly Indian. 
For want of confirmative details it is impossible to re- 
cognise with certainty in No. 1432 a scene from the Vis- 
vantara Jataka, though this identification has been sug- 
gested. 

3. No. 1904 shows two scenes, one Mara's Attack 
(Introd. 19), the other unique and unidentified where 
the Buddha appears to be addressing some mutilated 
persons. In the circular frieze No. 1899 are seen wrestl- 
ing, archery on foot and on horseback, representations 
of the Bodhisattva's Martial Exercises (Introd. 9). Cupids 
and garlands appear in No. 1419, and a Buddha of the 
late period in 87 L. A unique figure, a haloed but seem- 
ingly lay personage bearing a bowl or lamp, is seen in 
74 LV 



THE SCULPTURES. 50 

4. The torso 76 L is from a relief of the Tutelary 
Couple such as No. 241. The head shows considerable 
individuality, the deep set eyes with marked pupils giv- 
ing it a strong and virile appearance in keeping with 
Pafichika's character as sendpati. No. 1937 is part of 
the acanthus capital of an Indo-Corinthian pilaster and 
No. 1928 is one of the most beautiful Buddha figures in 
the collection. In no other image in the Peshawar 
Museum has the artist so successfully realized the peace 
and serenity of Buddhahood. 



Windows in Left Gallery. 

1. Among the numerous reliefs in this window are 
two recovered at Jamalgarhi in 1921-22. No. 1885 shows 
two scenes in one panel, that to the left being one of the 
rare representations of The Nursling of the Dead Woman 
(Introd. 31), the other still awaiting identification. The 
companion relief, No. 1884, depicts The Approach to 
the Bodhi Tree (Introd. 18) with the tree goddess and 
Mara and his daughter clearly recognizable but the naked 
figure issuing from the throne remains unidentified. 

2. Many of these reliefs are fragmentary but in No. 
1887 is seen the Naga Kalika (Introd. 17) and No. 1894 
shows the guardians of the relics outside the gates of 
Kusinara (Introd. 41). The death of the Buddha appears 
in 1883 and several events in the Syama Jataka (Introd. 
2) are represented in No. 1891, PL 5(6). No. 1893 re- 
sembles in certain details the First Meditation of the 
Bodhisattva (Introd. 12) and may be so interpreted. 

3. Several events anterior to the Enlightenment are 
seen in the reliefs in this window, the Martial Exercises 
and the Hurling of the Elephant in No. 1906 (Introd. 
10), the Marriage of Bodhisattva in No. 1905 and the 
Flight from the Palace in Nos. 1907 V 1908, while a scene 
from the later career of the Buddha appears in No. 1909, 
a representation of the Visit of Indra (Introd. 25). ' 



60 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

4. No. 1881 is a small and smiling Bodhisattva 
and No. 1451, one of the many KaSyapa scenes, while No. 
1882, a small false niche, is devoted to events in the 
cycle of the Kenunciation, (a) Life in the Palace, (6) The 
Sleep of the Women, (c) The Departure from Kapilavastu. 
In the last scene the horse Kanthaka is unusually well 
preserved and Mara clearly recognizable. In the Offer- 
ing of the Four Bowls, No. 1934, which seems to be late 
in date, the Lokapala who has just handed his bowl to 
the Buddha is dressed in Kushan costume. 

Case 1. Case 1 contains a miscellaneous^assortment 
of stucco fragments from Sahribahlol. The majority 
are heads, either of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, Nc^. 15 
and 17 being especially noteworthy for the delicacy of 
their modelling and their apparent closeness to the Helle- 
nistic prototype. But of greater interest is the headless 
figure of a warrior, No. 13, wearing a skirt of imbricat- 
ed mail and bearing in his left hand a curiously shaped 
shield resembling the Boeotian shield of the Greeks. 
The lions originally formed part of the ornamentation 
of small stupas and separated the superposed friezes 
precisely as do the elephants in Photographs 1443, 1469, 
exhibited in the revolving frame at the end of the upper 
gallery. 

Table Case A. Exhibited in this case are frag- 
mentary stucco and stone sculptures from Sahribahlol, 
together with a few of the heavy nails with which the 
larger stone sculptures were originally held in position. 
The fragment 70 M is from a representation of the Dipan- 
kara Jataka and 68 M, 79 M, 83 M, 84 M, 88 M are all 
details from Kasyapa scenes. A Hariti with cornucopia 
is seen in 77 M while she and her spouse Panchika appear 
together as the Tutelary Couple in 78 M. The base of 
this sculpture is worthy of attention as it depicts over- 
lapping coins falling from overturned jars, an appro- 
priate detail in representations of these deities of Abun- 
dance and Fertility. 



THfi SCULPTURES. 61 

Of the other miscellaneous objects the most interest- 
ing are two copper spoons, 103-4 M, found in the monastic 
quadrangle at Sahribahlol and a small fragment of a 
halo, 108 M, consisting of a thin stucco facing, on a 
stone backing, and preserving traces of the original 
brilliant colouring of its ornament of radiating golden 
rays on a bright red background. The plaster cast of 
one of the stucco friezes on a little stupa recovered at 
Sahribahlol was taken as a precautionary measure and 
it is fortunate this was done as the ignorant and intolerant 
peasantry of the neighbourhood subsequently demolish- 
ed every particle of ornamentation on this monument. 

C^ses 2-3. In order to appreciate the historical 
position of the Gandh&ra school and to ascertain precisely 
what it has contributed to Indian art, it becomes neces- 
sary to analyse the sculptures and to separate the archaic 
or indigenous elements from the newer importations or 
creations. An attempt has been made to do this in the 
classification of the sculptures in the upper galleries of 
the Museum, but it is obvious that such can be only 
partially successful. The majority of the sculptures are 
highly complex, and partake of the characteristics of, 
or at least show elements appertaining to both the new 
and the older periods. Sculptures of this kind which 
do not illustrate entirely either the one or the other, 
but which, on the other hand, do directly illustrate the 
life or the cult of the Buddha, have been qlassified, 
according to the subject represented, as either Legendary 
or Devotional, while single images of Bodhisattvas or 
of the Buddha have been collected into homogeneous 
groups. But, wherever the fragmentary nature of a 
given piece or its inherent simplicity has rendered such 
a classification practicable, it has been designated as 
either archaic or newly introduced. 

In pursuance of this plan, therefore, those stone 
fragments from Sahribahlol which show artistic motifs 
found on Indian monuments older than the Gandhara 
school have been grouped together in Cases 2-3. The 



62 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

modillion cornice represented by fragments Nos. 39 and 
44 is not itself such an archaic element, as such modillions 
appear in Indian art for the first time in Gandhara, but 
the narrow line of sawtooth ornament above these modil- 
lions is an archaic element and explains the inclusion of 
these stones in this section. Nos. 40 and 41 show the 
ancient Buddhist rail device surmounted by merlons. 
Rails of this type were commonly built around stupas 
in India proper and very highly decorated, as those will 
remember who have seen the beautiful rails of Amara- 
vati, but in Gandhara they have been rarely found save 
as a decorative motif. Cf. Nos. 1780, 1784, 1790. Nos. 
45, 46 and 47 are good examples of the Assyrian honey- 
suckle. This, although obviously of foreign origin, was 
a very early importation into India, and is accordingly 
included among archaic elements, although not itself 
indigenous. The idea of decorating windows, balconies 
and small arches with figures of parrots as seen in Nos. 
37 and 49 is also very ancient. Fragment No. 56 shows 
an exceedingly common decorative device, kneeling figures 
under ogee arches separated by pilasters of Persepolitan 
type, where the capital is formed by animals reclining 
back to back and supporting the architrave. The ele- 
phants in Case 3, Nos. 79, 80 and 81, represented as 
kneeling, with upraised trunks, were placed originally 
in the same way as the lions' heads described in Case 1. 
A good idea of the ornamental effect of this device can 
be gathered from the plaster cast of the little stupa frieze 
in Case A, but here the elephants are portrayed picking 
up sheaves of grain and not with uplifted trunks. No. 
97 is an inferior example of a full blown lotus frieze, of 
which many beautiful specimens have been found else- 
where. The archaic bead and reel motif occurs on frag- 
ment No. 106, the stone being otherwise unadorned. 
No. 107 is a small piece of one of those stone umbrellas 
which were placed, one above another, over the dome 
of a stupa to form the hti. For stupas surmounted by 
umbrellas see Nos. 672 M, 1554, 1846, 1852. 



THE SCTJLPTtTRES. 6& 

Case 4. Of all the new additions to Indian art due 
to the Graeco-Buddhist artists the most important is 
the figure of the Buddha himself, No. 121, and closely 
connected are the representations of the various Bod- 
hisattvas, two of which are included in this case in order 
to emphasize the fact that their appearance in Indian 
art is due to the school of Gandhara. A definitely foreign 
motif is seen in No. 109, which shows a very graceful 
scroll of vine leaves with bunches of grapes. Although 
at least one occurrence of a bunch of grapes is known in 
archaic Indian sculpture, the vine itself is not indigenous 
to India, nor can its use as a scroll or border be traced 
in older Indian art. No. Ill shows a modillion cornice 
similar to those in Case 1, but here both the modillious 
themselves and their little Corinthian capitals are of Helle- 
nistic origin. The winged marine monster of No. 112 is 
also borrowed from Greek art, as is the device of little 
Erotcs carrying a long garland shown in fragment No. 
115. The elaborate stone No. 116, shows an arrange- 
ment of concentric arches with decorated lunulate inter- 
spaces, which is itself of purely Indian origin, although 
the decorative figures are largely foreign. Thus the 
kneeling Tritons in the spandrels are essentially Greek, 
both in their origin and their application to such a space, 
though their adoration of the Buddha is an interesting 
illustration of how the Gandhara sculptors harmonized 
these foreign elements with their own conceptions. No. 
117, showing the Buddhist rail, is of course as archaic 
as No. 56 mentioned in Case No. 2, but the narrow border 
of acanthus leaves preserved in this specimen is a new 
motif and hence included in this division. The obviously 
Greek origin of the Corinthian pilasters, Nos. 124 and 
125, need hardly be emphasised. 

Table Case B. The majority of the miscellaneous 
sculptures in this case are not of the Gandhara School 
but of later date. In 429 M we see the Buddha on a 
lotus throne with a long stalked lotus on either side, 



64 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

that on the left supporting a small Vajrapani, the one 
on the right bearing a haloed worshipping figure. Al- 
though this was found by excavation in Peshawar, the 
material, style and technique proclaim it an importa- 
tion. 

Of particular interest is the Gandhara sculpture 427 
M, the Buddha between two Bodhisattvas. That these 
are not intended for Brahma and Indra is plain as these 
two deities appear above the right and left shoulder respect- 
ively of the Buddha figure. Indra's characteristic head- 
dress is noteworthy as is also his thunder-bolt (vajra). 
The Bodhisattva to the right is apparently Maitreya and 
the one to the left, if not then designated Avalokites- 
vara, is at least the figure destined to become so later. 
Before the Buddha's throne is an adoring donor. An- 
other Gandhara sculpture, No. 1942, shows in two panels 
the Subjugation of the Elephant and the Visit of Indra. 
A Tibetan Bodhisattva with sakti, 642 M, shows only too 
plainly how far Buddhism in Tibet has wandered from 
that of Gandhara. 

Two small steatite sculptures in the style of the Ma- 
thura School, a standing Buddha, 438 M, and a relief, 437 
M, depicting the Offering of the Four Bowls and the 
Mahaparinirvana are of interest on account of the con- 
trast with their Gandhara prototypes and as evidence 
of the movement, in early times, of cult and art objects 
over considerable distances. With these may be com- 
pared the two somewhat similar little figures, 689 M and 
690 M. Metal images, like the Bodhisattva 663 M, said 
to have been found in the Ghurband Valley above Swat, 
are rare in the Peshawar Museum. The purpose of such 
plaques as 113M exhibiting a couple in amorous dalli- 
ance is uncertain but they are frequently recovered in 
excavations. Cf. 715 M. The subjects carved thereon 
are usually secular. In 975 M we have a very rare re- 
presentation of the enshrouding of the Buddha (Introd. 
39). 



THE SCULPTURES. 65 

Case 5. The significance of most of the scenes shown 
in this case will be clear from a reference to the brief 
sketch of the Buddha's life given in the Introduction 
and the detailed legends. 

The first four reliefs, Nos. 127-130, depict the four chief 
events in the Buddha's life, namely his Birth, No. 127 
(Introd. 6), his Temptation, representing the Enlighten- 
ment, No. 128 (Introd. 19), his First Sermon, No. 129 
(Introd. 22), and his Death, the Mahaparinirvana, No. 

130 (Introd. 39). The symbolism on the front of the 
Buddha's seat in No. 129 is interesting, representing as 
it does the Wheel of the Law borne upon a trisula, 1 which 
probably typifies the Three Jewels of the Buddhist world, 
to wit the Buddha, the Doctrine and the Monastic Order. 
The reclining deer on either side indicate that the scene 
is laid in the Deer Park at Sarnath near Benares. No. 

131 represents the Horoscope of Asita (Introd. 7), the 
Rishi holding the infant Buddha on his lap being seated 
at the spectator's left. The fragmentary scene to the 
left deals with the adolescence of Siddhartha and includes 
the Writing Lesson (Introd. 8) and riding upon a ram. 
Cf. No. 151. 

Of the three scenes in No. 133 only the centre one, 
Makandika offering his daughter to the Buddha, has yet 
been identified (Introd. 33). No. 134 represents the 
Departure from Kapilavastu, when the young prince 
abandoned his home to seek the way of salvation (Introd. 
13). Two of the three scenes on No. 135 are unknown 
but the one to the right is the Dipankara-Jataka (Introd. 
1). No. 136 is a fragment from the legend of Kasyapa. 
This scene, amusingly drawn, shows the young Brahmans 
mounting on ladders, to extinguish the supposed con- 
flagration with jars of water (Introd, 23). No. 138 re- 
presents Queen Maya's dream typifying the conception 
of the Bodhisattva, who is shown under the form of an 

1 Cf. Foucher, Beginnings of Buddhist Art, PL I, where this is considered 
as the taurine or nandi-pada symbol denoting the zodiacal sign Taurus (the Bull) 
which presided over the Nativity of the Bodhisattva (Siddhartha). 



60 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

elephant (Introd, 4). No. 142 is the slaying of the Ele- 
phant by the Buddha's wicked cousin Devadatta (Introd. 
10). The Wrestling Match, one of the contests arranged 
in connection with Siddhartha's betrothal to Yasodhara 
is represented by fragment No. 143 (Introd. 9). Of the 
four scenes on No. 145, the two on the left are identi- 
fiable, namely the Offering of the Handful of Dust (In- 
trod. 27) and the subjugation by the Buddha of the furious 
elephant which Devadatta launched against him (Introd. 
37). 

Case 6. The majority of the reliefs in this case are 
fragments of false niches which were built out on the 
dome of a stupa. The form of the complete niche is 
that of the silhouette of a double-domed chapel, or the 
same drawn in section, giving the trefoil arch. The 
decoration, as can be seen from these fragments, con- 
sisted usually of a series of legendary scenes arranged 
vertically in the centre, with panels of smaller abbre- 
viated legendary scenes at the sides. But the very 
curtailed form of the latter makes it often impossible 
to say to what legend the scene has reference. Thus 
of such small scenes in this case only the second one on 
fragment No. 150 can be identified tentatively as having 
reference to the child's Offering of the Handful of Dust 
(Introd. 27). But the presentation of the snake to Kas- 
yapa is depicted in abbreviated form in the lowest panel 
of No. 149 and again in the third panel of No. 146, where 
the left hand of the Buddha is now lost (Introd. 23). 
The female with mirror in her right hand and parrot on 
the left wrist seen on the left of No. 146 is worthy of 
attention. No. 151 is another representation of the First 
Writing Lesson of the child Siddhartha (Introd. 8) and 
the badly damaged fragment No. 154, which originally 
formed the central portion of a false niche, shows scenes 
depicting the voluptuous life of the young prince in his 
palace, his abandonment of the same and his departure 
from his home in Kapilavastu, in other words, the cycle 
of the Great Renunciation (Introd. 13). But the most 



THE SCULPTURES. 67 

valuable and interesting sculpture in this case is No. 
152 depicting the attempted escape, from the convent, of 
Nanda, Buddha's half brother, whom he had converted 
malgre lui (Introd. 24). Nanda's futile attempt to hide 
behind the tree which rises from the ground, disclosing 
him to the Buddha is amusingly rendered. The frag- 
ment No. 153, actually part of No. 152, depicts the 
Buddha in the air. Not only are his feet clear of the 
ground but that he is high in the sky is certain from the 
fact that he is level with the Sun God, who, on a small 
raised medallion, is shown seated in a biga. 

Case 7. This section of the Sahribahlol collection 
contains those sculptures which are neither single Buddha 
nor Bodhisattva figures and yet are connected with the 
cult of Buddhism rather than with the story of the Tea- 
cher's life. Thus Nos. 162-167 are portions of a frieze 
depicting (1) the worship of the Buddha's turban. No. 
163, (2) the cult of the Kelics, No. 165, and (3) the cult 
of the Bowl, No. 171-A. The elaborate and ornamental 
nature of the turban shown on fragment No. 163 is ex- 
plained by the fact that it represents the headdress of 
the prince Siddhartha, which was snatched up to heaven 
by the gods as recounted in the Introduction (14). It 
should be noticed that the Persepolitan pilasters and 
the ogee arches in all these sculptures are archaic ele- 
ments, familiar in Indian art long before the rise of the 
Gandhara school. More interesting than these friezes, 
however, are sculptures Nos. 158 and 171, each represent- 
ing a seated Buddha figure with a Bodhisattva standing 
on either side, apparently representations of the Miracle 
of Sravasti (Introd. 32). In both Nos. 158 and 171 the 
presence of Indra and Brahma behind the left and right 
shoulders of the Buddha respectively should be noted, 
Indra being characterized by the thunderbolt and the 
high flat headdress, Brahma by his long hair. 

On the base of No. 158 are three scenes, to right an 
abbreviated representation of the story of Angulimala 



68 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

(Introd. 30), to left the Subjugation of the Naga Apalala 
(Introd. 29) and in the centre a seated Buddha with two 
adoring figures on either side. 

It was for a long time believed that the theory of the 
Bodhisattvas originated very late in the history of Bud- 
dhism, and it seemed at first doubtful whether they 
could be traced at all in so early a school of Buddhist 
art as that of Gandhara. But such sculptures as the two 
under discussion prove that Bodhisattvas were known 
to the artists of Gandhara, and the more these sculptures 
are studied, the more probable it appears that the theory 
had already advanced very far even in those early centuries. 
The Bodhisattva figures thus furnish the student with 
extremely interesting and valuable material, for among 
the many problems connected with the Gandhara school, 
few are more important than a correct differentiation 
and determination of the Bodhisattva types. In later 
Buddhist art, in Tibet, Japan etc., the various Bodhi- 
sattvas are distinguished one from another by attributes, 
but in the earlier school of Gandhara these are not always 
constant. In sculpture No. 171, however, the standing 
figure on the proper left of the Buddha holds a flask in 
his left hand, while the one on the right holds in his up- 
raised right hand a lotus flower now damaged. In later 
art these are the attributes of Maitreya and Avalokites- 
vara respectively, and it is safe to assume, therefore, 
that these are the Bodhisattvas depicted here as well 
as in the precisely similar sculpture No. 158. It is of 
interest to note that in both cases Avalokitesvara wears 
a high headdress while Maitreya has merely an elaborate 
coiffure. This distinction is of importance when con- 
sidering the sculptures in the next section. 

Cases 8-9. These cases contain only fragments of 
single Bodhisattva figures. The peculiar coiffure notice- 
able in No. 184 seems to indicate that the figure represents 
Maitreya. The absence of the flask here is immaterial 
for this is an attribute especially of the standing figure, 



THE SCULPTURES. 69 

whereas in Tibetan art the hands of the seated Maitreya 
are regularly shown in this position. The importance 
of the headdress is thus made evident ; indeed it is special- 
ly emphasized in one of the later Buddhist texts, and 
from the analogy of Nos. 158 and 184 it seems probable 
Maitreya is also represented by Nos. 175, 180 and 181. 
The hand No. 185 is marked by the alabastron or unguent 
flask as belonging to some Maitreya figure. Similarly, 
fragments Nos. 172, 182 and 183 appear to be hands from 
figures of Avalokitesvara, on the analogy of the left 
hand of the figure of this Bodhisattva in No. 158. As 
was noticed in connection with this figure and the one 
in No. 171, Avalokitesvara is depicted as wearing a 
high headdress. These sculptures are too small to permit 
of much detail, but in general the headdress resembles 
those in fragments Nos. 176, 179, 188 and 200, PL 4 (a). 
These all show as a common feature a circular disc with 
a tapering tenon. Its purpose is explained by the small 
sculptured medallion No. 221 in Case 11 , which is mortised 
to receive such a tenon. Cf. Nos. 1099, 1137. The fact, 
furthermore, that these medallions show a seated Buddha 
with his hands in the attitude of meditation or dhyana, 
confirms the proposed identification of these Bodhisatt- 
vas with Avalokitesvara, for in later art he regularly 
wears in his headdress a small seated Dhyani-Buddha 
AmitSbha. This would make it appear, therefore, that 
this tiny Buddha is a representation of Amitabha. But 
this divinity has hitherto been supposed to be a com- 
paratively recent addition to the pantheon, and his 
occurrence at so early a stage of Buddhism is not yet 
established. The two Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and 
Maitreya and the Bodhisattva Siddhartha, No. 1739, 
PL 1, are the only ones yet identified with certainty in 
Gandhara. 1 But the little head No. 192 in Case 9 has 
so distinctive a pose and so individual a headdress, that 
it seems probable that some other particular Bodhisattva 

1 Unless wo identify the small Bodhisattva in No. 280 with Manjufri. 

F 



70 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

is intended ; and the striking similarity between this 
and the one numbered 950 in the Takht-i-Bahi collection 
(Case 39) is strong confirmation of this hypothesis. But 
in our present ignorance of the emblems and attributes 
associated with this type, no complete figure having yet 
been found, it is impossible to determine its identity. 
Of the other fragments in Case 9 the only one calling for 
mention is the large and shapely hand, No. 190, with 
the so-called webbing between the fingers. That this 
is the hand of a Bodhisattva, and not of a Buddha, is 
shown by the bracelet ; the Buddha himself, being a 
monk, wears no jewels. 

Cases 10-11. As Buddhism developed, the theory 
of the existence of Buddhas in past ages of the world and 
others still to come advanced along with the doctrine of 
the various Bodhisattvas. But for a number of reasons 
the historical Gautama has at all times towered fur above 
the other Buddhas, so that, especially in the case of 
early art, there is hardly any question of differentiating 
Buddha images. They can all be identified with Gautama 
with reasonable certainty, except where there are peculiar 
reasons for supposing that some other Buddha is intend- 
ed. 1 That the eight Buddhas were known to the artists 
of Gandhara is proved by such sculptures as the one 
pictured by Griinwedel on page 130 of his " Buddhist 
Art in India", 2 but there is absolutely no evidence 
to show that the worship of any of these as individuals 
had advanced sufficiently in the Gandhara period to 
warrant separate images. It is not strange, therefore, 
that there should be a certain similarity between them, 
since they all represent the one great Teacher. But 
this similarity never extends to identity, and the careful 
observer will notice a very pronounced variety among 
the sculptures even in this Museum. Thus, to mention 

1 Cf. the remarks above (Cases 8-9) concerning the figure on the medallion 
No. 221 and also the Dlpankara-Jataka (Introd. 1). 
* Of. also pp. 181 and 188. 



THE SCULPTURES. 71 

externals only, sometimes the figure is moustached (cf. 
Nos. 223, 232, 233, etc.) ; sometimes it is clean shaven as 
in No. 212 ; sometimes the right shoulder is bare as 
Nos. 220, 227 and 234 ; or it niay be draped as Nos. 208 
and 210. The hair may be naturalistically represented as 
waved and brushed back from the forehead, which is 
supposed to be the original Hellenistic treatment (cf. 
Nos. 212, 226, 227, etc.), or it may be arranged sche- 
matically in little curls as in figures Nos. 210 and 234 ; 
the latter arrangement being more in keeping with the 
canon, where this peculiarity of the Buddha is mention- 
ed. As for the subtleties of facial modelling and ex- 
pression, the variety is infinite. Cf. Nos. 207, * 209, 226 
and 233 in the Sahribahlol collection. Between such 
extreme periods as are represented by heads Nos. 207 
and 226 on the one hand and Nos. 398, 403, 1440 on the 
other, still greater divergences can be noticed. Indeed, 
the more the figures are vstudied in detail, the more notice- 
able are the differences, while that which is common to 
all tends to fade into relative insignificance. 2 

Of the fragments in the Sahribahlol collection in 
particular, little remains to be said. The begging bowl 
in the hand of the graceful figure No. 208 is interesting 
as showing the grooving along the edge explained in the 
Introduction. No. 210 is not a simple Buddha image 
but from a Kasyapa scene such as Nos. 1376, 1577 (Introd. 
23). The " webbing " between the fingers is again notice- 
able in the case of the damaged hand No. 211, while the 
unusual similarity between the heads Nos. 212 and 233 
makes one wonder if they are by the same artist. The 
two arms numbered 213 and 214, it will be noticed, are 
not broken from their statues, but are separately carved 
pieces originally added to the figures as a whole. No. 
227 is quite iminjured save for the right knee, and is 
one of the best pieces in the collection. The colouring 

1 Now m the Central Hall. 
9 Cf. p. 51 et 8eq 9 



72 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

about the eyes is interesting as an indication of the well- 
known fact that in ancient times these sculptures, like 
those of Greece, were vivified and animated by painting 
and gilding. 1 One can well imagine what a wonderful 
difference it must have made, when they were all res- 
plendent with gold and colour, with their haloes marked 
out in a series of radiating rays of gold on a back-ground 
of brilliant red, like the little fragment 108 M in Table 
Case A. Their early worshippers would scarcely recognize 
them in their present sombre garb. 

Case 12. -The sculptures in Case 12 are a miscellane- 
ous and unclassified collection presented to the Museum 
by Major 0. B. Rawlinson, C.I.E. The findspots of the 
several pieces are unknown, but the fragments are in- 
teresting and valuable for their own sake. Thus the 
well sculptured fragment No. 247, representing the DI- 
pankara-Jataka (Introd. 1) is an excellent illustration 
of the artistic method of the older, indigenous school of 
Indian art. The various acts in the drama are all shown 
simultaneously as parts of one composition, the same 
figures being repeated as often as necessary to carry the 
action forward. Gandhara art, itself, rarely represents 
consecutive scenes in this way, more frequently depict- 
ing the various episodes of a story in a series of separate 
panels arranged in chronological sequence from right to 
left. But in the older school these combined composi- 
tions are frequent and it is probable that the retention 
of this method in the portrayal of this particular scene 
is due to some distinct tradition. Jataka scenes are 
much commoner in the older school than in Gandhara, 
and the representation of the Dlpankara legend may 
have become stereotyped before that school arose. An- 
other peculiarly interesting, and it is believed unique 
composition, is that of fragment No. 251, representing 
the dream of Queen Maya, the mother of Gautama. No 

1 Song-yun (c. 520 A.D.) mentions beautiful images at Po-lu-sha as " cover- 
ed with gold sufficient to dazzle the eyes." C/. 108 M in Table Case A and 943 
M(a), (6), (c) in Table Case M. 



THE SCULPTURES. 73 

other bas-relief of this scene shows the queen with her 

back to the spectator, but that this was necessary, once 

her head was placed to the left, has been explained in 

the Introduction. The chronological sequence running 

regularly from right to left helgs very often to determine 

the meaning of a fragment. Thus the scene to the left 

of the queen's dream should represent some incident 

subsequent to the dream itself. We see the royal couple 

seated side by side, turned toward a figure on the left 

now lost ; so that, in view of the position of the scene, 

we can, despite its fragmentary condition, identify it 

with entire confidence as the Interpretation of the Dream 

(Introd. 5). The fragment No. 250 is from the left of a 

relief depicting the Marriage of the Bodhisattva and 

shows Yasodhara with train upheld by an attendant 

about to circumambulate the sacred fire. Cf. Nos. 701 

M, 1905. The last scene to the left represented the Life 

in the Palace (Introd. 13). No. 259 where the Buddha 

and his attendants stand on lotus flowers is probably the 

invitation of Srigupta (Introd. 34). The little seated 

Buddha in No. 260, on a background of acanthus leaves, 

is a fragment of a large Corinthian capital, as can be seen 

from No. 326. But perhaps the most valuable sculpture 

in the case is the remarkable head No. 268. Portraiture 

is extremely rare in Gandhara, but it seems probable 

that we have here portraiture of considerable strength 

and power. The incipient krobulos on the top of the head, 

however, is difficult to explain. Cf. Nos. 1768, 1770. 

Case 13. This case contains a miscellaneous collec- 
tion presented by Mr. Pipon, I.C.S., and others. No. 
269, a fragment from a sculpture representing the Miracle 
of Sravasti was given by the late Sir Harold Deane, 
K.C.S.I., and shows an unusually animated Naga figure 
rising a mi corps from, out of the water. The flowers, 
No. 274, from some large composition are worthy of 
notice. No, 280 received from Mr. Wilson Johnston, 
LG.S., is of special interest, being one of the few inscribed 



74 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

sculptures n in -..the Museum. 1 The inscription, in the 
Kharoshthi character, reads from right to left and is 
damaged at either end but apparently refers to the gift 
of a Buddha image by one Sadhakamitra. The language 
of the inscription is a local form of Prakrit. 

Case 14. The seven cases 14 to 20 contain the valu- 
able collection presented to the Museum by P. J. G. 
Pipon, Esq., I.C.S. They have been classilied on the 
same principles as the Sahribahlol collection being divid- 
ed into groups according to the nature of the sculptures. 
Case 14 contains those fragments which illustrate chiefly 
archaic elements in the art of Gandhara, whether truly 
indigenous or of earlier importation. Among the latter 
are the Persepolitan pilasters with animal capitals on 
fragment No. 309, and the remarkable seated figure 
No. 322, which was evidently winged. Figures of this 
general type are called generically " Atlantes " in Gan- 
dhara art, from their having been used to support columns 
or cornices. Their application to this use was current 
in the oldest known school of Indian art, and therefore 
the present sculpture has been included in this section. 
But it must be acknowledged that it is one of the most 
distinctly non-Indian images in the Museum, and it 
might perhaps have been included with equal propriety 
among the newer foreign elements in Case 15. The 
extraordinary way in which the hair and beard are re- 
presented, in a kind of corkscrew curls, the floral wreath 
about the head, and the singularly deep setting of the 
eye, are all noteworthy features. Indeed, so far as the 
treatment of the eye is concerned, this figure will com- 
pare favourably with any other in the Museum. Not 
only are the eyes more naturally sunken than in most 
cases with the muscles of the eyebrows well advanced 
over them, but the artist has even succeeded in represent- 
ing a distant, dreamy gaze by his treatment of the upper 
lids, all showing a grasp of the principles of plastic art 

t These are Nos. 280. 347, 501, 628, 1944. 



THE SCULPTURES 75 

considerably in advance of what is usually met with in 
this school ; and, be it added, hardly in keeping with 
the anatomical defects of the sculpture. One of the 
weakest points in Gandhara art is illustrated by frag- 
ments Nos. 305 and 319 which are portions of an elephant 
frieze. Almost every other object in this school is drawn 
with greater fidelity to nature, but the elephant, possibly 
because of its rarity in this part of India, is almost al- 
ways as misshapen as the elephant of a Noah's Ark." 
An example of the opposite extreme, of minute and care- 
ful observation and accurate delineation, is afforded by 
the plants represented in sculpture No. 1151, the bauhinia 
foliage exhibiting great fidelity to nature. 

Case 15. Of the sculptures in this section, illustrat- 
ing foreign elements in Gandhara art, there is little to 
say, since almost all represented here have already been 
met with in the Sahribahlol collection. It is hardly 
necessary to call attention to the large and beautiful, 
sculpture in the centre of the case, No. 336. In the 
main principles of its composition it resembles No. 116, 
already discussed ; but in excellence of execution and 
perfection of preservation, the present stone is greatly 
superior. The legend represented in the largest and 
lowest of the central scenes, namely the Submission 
and Conversion of the Naga Apalala, is given in the 
Introduction 29, of. 28 L, PL 5 (a). No. 330 is interesting 
as having apparently formed part of a frieze of winged 
sphinxes ; but it is too badly damaged to permit of 
accurate judgment. Fragment No. 331 is believed to be 
unique. It is manifestly a winged angel wearing the 
long himation and the shorter khiton of the Greeks, and 
represented as blowing a long trumpet. In other words, 
it appears to be an altogether orthodox Christian angel, 
so much so that it seems startingly out of place amidst 
such purely Buddhist surroundings, though it should be 
borne in mind that it is not more essentially Greek than 
everything else in this case. After all, the differences 



76 SCULPTURED IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

between it and the winged spirits hovering above the 
Buddha's head in No. 374, for example, are not very 
great ; for the nudity of the latter is quite as distinctively 
Greek in origin as the costume of this draped angel. As 
in the case of the little figure among the foliage of the 
capital in fragment No. 326, its presence here and in 
later European art can only be due to their both having 
sprung in part from a common source, probably to be 
sought for in the little known art of Asia Minor, which 
Strzygowski has shown to be the source of many motifs 
hitherto supposed to be of Roman origin. 

Case 16. -The legendary scenes in this case are of 
greater interest than the fragments in the two preceding 
sections, but unfortunately all have not yet been identi- 
fied. Among those already met with are the Queen's 
Dream, No. 350 (Introd. 4), the Birth, No. 359 (Introd. 
6), the First Writing Lesson, No. 347, which has an added 
interest in that the writing board shows a few Kha- 
roshthi characters supposed to have been written by the 
infant genius (Introd. 8). No. 345 seems to depict Sid- 
dhartha's departure from his home in Kapilavastu (In- 
trod. 13) but certain of the features which usually dis- 
tinguish that scene are here wanting. There is, how- 
ever, no doubt, that No. 343 is from the left of a relief 
depicting this scene and we see Mara on the right with 
his army in the upper part of the relief while the dis- 
consolate City Goddess, nagaradevatd, of Kapilavastu is 
easily recognizable in the female with crenellated crown 
on the extreme left. Cf. No. 572. The farewell of the 
prince's horse Kanthaka at the moment when the Bodhi- 
sattva dismounted after his flight from Kapilavastu is 
seen in No. 354, the figure to the extreme right being 
the grief -stricken groom Chandaka (Introd. 15). The 
Temptation (Introd. 19) is rather sketchily represented 
by No. 355 and with more detail in No. 352. No. 353 
is a unique relief depicting with noticeable restraint the 
Temptation of Lust by Mara and his three daughters 
(Intaod. 19). Fragment No. 349 represents the First 



THE SCULPTURES. 77 

Sermon at Benares (Introd. 22) and No. 344, the Offering 
of the Handful of Dust (Introd. 27). No. 357 shows the 
Buddha and his monks as guests in the house of some 
wealthy female who is about to make a donation as is 
indicated by the water pot held before her. 

Case 17. Of the devotional sculptures in this case 
the only one calling for special mention is No. 374, the 
fragment of a representation of the Miracle of Sravasti 
on an unusually large scale (Introd. 32). The denizens 
of the watery world and the deeply cut mass of the divine 
flowers over the head of the Buddha are the most interest- 
ing features of this sculpture. Cf. Nos. 158, 171, 1553, 
1554. 

Case 18. The sculptures here call for no particular 
notice, though attention may be drawn to the well 
executed group No. 375, showing a central Buddha with 
a smaller Bodhisattva on either side. This attempt to 
emphasize the superior importance of a given figure by 
representing it physically larger than its surroundings 
is a device familiar to early art in various parts of the 
world but as the art of Gandhara is in no sense primitive 
are we to see in this a case of artistic regression ? 1 Be 
that as it may we notice in our sculptures an increasing 
tendency to exaggerate the size of the principal figure 
until finally the figure of the protagonist becomes as it 
were an independent image. Cf. Nos. 1577, 1739, PL 1. 
No. 380 again shows the City Goddess of Kapilavastu 
and No. 384 a double-domed chapel of which structural 
examples still exist at Takht-i-Bahl. 

Case 19. The Bodhisattva images in the Pipon Col- 
lection are remarkable for their manifestly late date, as 
indicated by their comparative decadence. No. 393, 
which may perhaps be a Maitreya, is a good example 
of what Professor Griinwedel calls the " Indischer Typus ", 
into which the Greek art of Gandhara degenerated. This 

1 It must not be forgotten, however, that the stature of the ftaddha was , 
in any case, believed to be double that of an ordinary man. 



78 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

is apparently a transitional form between tlie original 
and essentially foreign ideal of this school and the later 
idealized type of Indian art upon whose excellencies 
certain critics so insist. But that either figure No. 393 
or 398 marks a step forward in the representation of the 
divine, as compared with the older figures in Gandhara, 
is a theory which it would seem difficult to maintain. 

Case 20. The Buddha figures in the Pipon Collection 
are also unusually late and particularly interesting for 
this reason, the extraordinary figure No. 403 being one 
of the most marked instances of degeneration in the 
Museum. Cf. No. 1440. The drapery has almost ceased 
to have meaning, while the face itself is ludicrous, the 
wide open eyes with their bulging pupils giving the figure 
an expression of frightened surprise, far removed from 
the meditative, almost divine quietism of the best pieces. 
Another type of decadence is that shown in No. 407, 
which, however, is not without its own merits, and is 
probably much older than No. 403. The total effect, 
aided by the canonical treatment of the hair, is curiously 
that of a negro head. The same is true, in much lesser 
degree, of the large mask No. 402, but perhaps this is 
due in a great measure to the damaged condition of the 
nose. 

Case 21. The sculptures in this and the two following 
cases were purchased locally in 1903 and include a number 
of most admirable pieces. The very deeply and clearly 
cut fragments Nos. 420, 421, 422 and 424 representing 
for the most part Brahman ascetics, are particularly fine, 
but the legends they recount have unfortunately not yet 
been identified. No. 428 represents the Submission of 
the Naga Apalala (Introd. 29), the Naga and his spouse 
being the two figures with the snake-hoods, seen rising 
from the tank at the spectator's left. No. 433 is another 
relief of the Offering of the Handful of Dust (Introd. 27) 
and No. 439 an admirably clear example of the Dlpan- 
kara Jataka (Introd. 1). The miraculous suspension 



THE SCULPTURES. 79 

of the lotuses about Drpankara's head, and the sub- 
sequent adoration by the youth from his elevation in 
the air are quite distinct here, whereas they are lost in 
the example of this subject in No. 247. 

Case 22. Perhaps the most interesting relief in this 
case is No. 457 showing the young Prince Siddhartha's 
life in the Palace of Kapilavastu (Introd. 13). The^scene 
is here placed on the right, indicating its precedence in 
time to the scene on the left, the Great Renunciation, 
where the yakshas supporting the feet of the horse are 
especially clear. Sculpture No. 455 depicts the First 
Sermon (Introd. 22), the scene to the right being the 
meeting with the Nfiga Kalika. No. 449 shows the 
worship of the Relics of Buddha subsequent to his crema- 
tion (Introd. 42). 

Case 23. The Cremation itself is represented by the 
small fragment No. 484 which is here followed on the left 
by the Distribution of the llelics (Introd. 40, 41). In 
the latter scene the figure seated behind the table is the 
Brahman Drona. No. 471 is apparently the story of the 
demon Atavika, who having just been converted by the 
Buddha abstains from devouring the child and presents 
him to the Buddha (Introd. 26). But the most important 
fragment in this case is No. 463, which is part of the edge 
of one of the umbrella discs forming the so-called " hti " 
above a stupa, the interest being due to the two heads 
which appear to show portraiture superior to even that 
of the remarkable head in the Kawlinson Collection. 

Case 24. The sculptures in this case are from a 
variety of sources. The two excellent Buddha figures 
No. 489 and No. 490, together with the more debased type 
No. 488 and the admirable standing image of Maitreya 
Bodhisattva No. 495, were found by a peasant in the 
Swabi Tahsil and purchased by Government. The in- 
teresting winged Atlas No. 496 was recovered at Jamal- 
garhi, as also the well preserved little group No. 497. 
This represents Garuda, the king of the Birds, snatching 



80 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

up a snake deity or Ndga by the snake-like projection 
at the shoulder. This serpent-like portion is brought 
round the right of the Garuda's head and caught in its 
beak. The particular interest of the group, however, 
is due to the theory supported by Professor Griinwedel L 
that at the back of such representations of Garuda and the 
Nagas or Nagis lay a memory of the famous group by 
Leochares representing the eagle of Zeus snatching up 
Ganymede to be the cup-bearer of the gods ; and the 
general similarity in composition is certainly striking. 
But, if the rape of Ganymede really does lie behind these 
sculptures, they well illustrate the process of Indianiza- 
tion to which such Greek motifs were subjected in Gan- 
dhara, and show how these exotic forms were adapted 
locally to the cult and service of the Indian faith. Sculp- 
tures Nos. 491, 493, 494, 498, 499, 500 and 502 were 
recovered at Rustarn by Mr. J. G. Hennessy and presented 
by him to the Museum. The peculiar greenness of the 
stone is noticeable. Fragment No. 499 is a particularly 
striking piece, and really a very clever bit of composition. 
It represents, in all, seven Niigas or Nagis, it is difficult 
to tell which, all distinguished by serpents' hoods, and all 
bearing what seem to be umbrellas. Those at the bottom 
of the group rise, as usual, only half out of the water in 
which they were supposed to dwell. This, itself, is a 
common characteristic of such figures. Of. No. 269. 
But that a precisely similar concealment for the bodies of 
those above should have been effected by the judicious 
utilization of the umbrella motif, whose introduction 
may be due to the legend which the whole was meant to 
portray, is very striking, and reflects considerable credit 
on the artist's ingenuity. The small inscribed fragment 
No. 501 was purchased from a peasant at Jainalgarhi. 
The inscription, which is in cursive Kharoshthi, is incom- 
plete but states that the image was a gift " in honour of all 
beings ". Sculpture No. 503, the Miracle of SravastI show- 

1 Buddhist Art in India, p. 108. 



THE SCULPTURES. 81 

ing a central Buddha figure with a Bodhisattva on either 
side, and presented by J. A. 0. Fitzpatrick, Esq., I.C.S., 
is remarkable for depicting Avalokitesvara on the left of 
the Buddha in the place of honour usually reserved for 
Maitreya, here standing on the proper right. That the 
sculpture is decadent and late is perfectly obvious, and 
together with No. 848, might seem to suggest that, even 
within the limits of Gandhara, the cult of the Bodhi- 
sattva underwent a long course of development, long 
enough to admit of Avalokitesvara coming to precede 
the older Maitreya in popular estimation were not the two 
Bodhisattvas found in the same positions in Nos. 1727 
and 1729, the latter of which betrays no evidence of a 
late date. In all probability these variations are due to 
the forgetfulness of the sculptors or to a recognition of 
the equality of Maitreya and Avalokitesvara. Similar 
interchanges of position in the case of Indra and Brahma 
are not unknown. 

Cases 25-29. The excavations at Charsada and Raj- 
jar carried out by Sir John Marshall, Director General of 
Archaeology, and Dr. Vogel, in 1903, are described in the 
Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey, 1902-03, and 
reference may be made to that publication for a detailed 
account of the sculptures and other antiquities then 
recovered. The sculptural fragments in Cases 25-28 are 
from the site known as Palatu Dheri, and those in Case 29 
from Ghaz Dheri, both near Rajjar, just beyond Char- 
sada. But the majority of the fragments show elements 
and motifs already met with, and special reference need be 
made only to the very beautifully sculptured legendary 
scene No. 568 in Case 26, to the interesting fragment of 
the Great Renunciation, No. 572, where the disconsolate 
goddess of the city, the nagara-devatd, is particularly well 
drawn (Introd. 13), and to the remarkable stone No. 602, 
in Case 27, showing an empty seat or throne with a wor- 
shipping haloed figure at either side. In the older school 
of Indian art, where the figure of the Buddha is never 
represented, such an empty seat with or without some 



82 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAK MUSEUM. 

sacred symbol would be the usual method of indicating 
the divine presence, but in the art of Gandhara no such 
symbolic portrayal is known. Fragment No. 602, there- 
fore, is either a unique survival of the archaic school, 
or what seems more probable, the stone throne for a now 
missing Buddha figure such as No. 1760 or for an image 
of gold or silver. No. 626, in Case 27 bears a fragmen- 
tary Kharoshthi inscription from which it appears that 
the lost image was the gift of a person whose name is 
unfortunately obliterated. Tn Case 28 attention may be 
drawn to tlie heads numbered 629, 631, 635 and 636; 
and in Case 29 to the unusually delicate scroll in low 
relief on fragment No. 657. Fragment No. 675 again 
is an excellently sculptured relief showing two seated 
royal figures while No. 677 is a large head belonging 
evidently to the earlier period of Gandhara art. 

Case 30. Cases 30-34 contain the stone sculptures 
recovered in the excavations at Ta.kht-i-Bahi in 1908. 
The work was largely limited to the lower court of the 
many little stupas, between the upper court of the main 
stupa and the monastic quadrangle and is described in 
the Reports of the Archaeological Survey. 1 The monas- 
tery at Takht-i-BahT is too well known to call for any 
description here. But despite the interest that has 
attached to it for so many years, no satisfactory identi- 
fication of the site has ever been proposed. Tt was un- 
doubtedly a very important centre of the Buddhist cult, 
and was certainly occupied for centuries, apparently 
throughout the greater portion of the Gandhara period, 
as is witnessed by the wide range in artistic execution 
noticeable in the sculptures. But the only definite date 
so far recovered in connection with the site is 47 A.D. 
(according to Professor Griinwedel), this being the equi- 
valent of the date occurring in the important inscrip- 
tion from Takht-i-Bahl, containing the name of the Par- 
thian prince Gondopharnes, to whose court the Apostle 

'Appendix* 



THE SCULPTURES. 83 

St. Thomas is reported to have gone by divine command. 1 
Takht-i-Bahi was excavated in 1871 by Sergt. Wilcher 
with a company of Sappers and Miners, and has been 
exploited more or less constantly ever since. It is, there- 
fore, truly astonishing that the excavations of 1908 and 
1911 should have been so productive. 

The Takht-i-Bahi sculptures have been classified like 
the other collections in the Museum. Case 30 contains 
fragments illustrating chiefly archaic elements in Gan- 
dhara art. The most conspicuous piece is the remark- 
ably fine Atlas No. 694. Like the large figure in Case 14, 
this is meant to be winged, the wings being in very low 
relief in the background. The strong and forceful head, 
with the curiously oblique eyes, is noteworthy. Indeed 
the whole figure conveys most admirably the impression 
of strength and strain, and must be acknowledged a very 
clever and successful piece of work. Another interesting 
stone is No. 685, with its graceful foliage in low relief 
a very uncommon if not unique design. The Assyrian 
honeysuckle motif is shown on No. 687. No. 712 is parti- 
cularly interesting, for it gives an excellent idea of what 
an ancient stupa was like. We must restore the hti 
surmounting the whole, but when that is done we have a 
perfect model of the stupa in ancient Gandhara, though 
on the actual monuments the minute decoration on 
No. 712 was replaced by bas-reliefs and other sculptures. 

Case 31.- Among the fragments showing newly in- 
troduced elements is No. 721, an excellently preserved 
specimen of considerable excellence of the so-called Tch- 
thyocentaur, a marine monster not known originally to 
Indian mythology, cf. PI. 8 (a). The delicately curved 
fragment No. 736 showing the familiar motif of the gar- 
land-bearing Erotes represents the second or upper dome 
of a double-domed chapel, originally forming the upper 
portion of fragment No. 735, where it was in position 
directly above the Buddha's head, the whole composition 

1 For the legend c/. Smith, Early History of India, (3rd Edition), p. 231. 



84 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

having been a model of such a chapel with the image in 
position. Cf. No. 384. 

Case 32. In this case are Legendary Scenes, a num- 
ber of which are unfortunately in a very fragmentary 
condition. The Dipankara-jataka (Tntrod. 1) is repre- 
sented by No. 783 and by the smaller fragment No. 781. 
Several pieces of the First Sermon occur, Nos. 760, 762, 
767, 772 ; but the only complete sculpture of this legend, 
No. 786, is in the next case (Introd. 22). No. 774, which 
is from the right central portion of a false niche, shows 
fragments of four legendary scenes, the only recognisable 
one being the third from the bottom, portraying the 
subjugation of the elephant which Devadatta hoped would 
kill the Buddha (Tntrod. 37). No. 775 is a very stiff 
representation of the Mahaparinirvana (Introd. 39). The 
fainting figure in the foreground is Ananda, the Beloved 
Disciple of Buddhist story. The most interesting stone 
in this case, however, is No. 769, the right hand side of a 
very large pedestal originally supporting a standing 
Buddha figure, as may bo inferred from the unsandalled 
foot partly preserved. This was not, however, a simple 
Buddha image. From the presence of the four small 
feet it is plain that it formed part of a legendary scene, 
the Presentation of the Snake to Kasyapa. Cf. Nos. 1549, 
1710. The composition originally resembled Nos. 1376, 
1378, 1451, 1577, 1842. The scenes on the pedestal 
are appropriately connected with the same story, the one 
to the right showing the Buddha seated in the temple, 
the snake about to creep into the alms bowl resting on 
the steps, and the young Brahmans endeavouring to put 
out the fire, cf. No. 136 (Introd. 23). The scene to the 
left is incomplete, but it shows the fire temple before the 
arrival of the Buddha who was doubtless depicted on the 
missing left portion of the pedestal. 

Case 33. The Legendary Scenes in this case are 
much better preserved, and present us with a number of 
subjects not met with hitherto in the Peshawar Collection. 



THE SCULPTURES. 85 

The first one in the case, No. 784, is the Departure from 
Kapilavastu (Introd. 13). No. 786 is the First Sermon 
(Introd. 22). Of the three scenes in No. 787 the upper- 
most is the Buddha's Approach to the seat beneath the 
Bodhi-tree at Bodh Gaya (Introd. 18), The central one 
is Indra's Visit to the Buddha, the kneeling figure on the 
right with high headdress being Indra (Introd. 25). The 
lowest scene of all is yet unidentified as are also Nos. 780 
and 790, but 792 is clearly another version of the Approach 
to the Seat of Wisdom, showing the Naga Kalika 
and his wife Suvarnaprabhasa singing the hymn of praise 
in honour of the Buddha (Introd. 17). The two figures 
on the left are seemingly Mara and his daughter looking 
towards the Bodhi-tree. Cf. No. 353. There are really 
parts of two scenes in No. 792. These are not separated 
in the usual way by pilasters, but marked by the direction 
the figures face. The scene to the right on fragment 
No. 794, is the story of the White Dog which barked at 
the Buddha (Introd. 28), the fragment on the left being 
a merely decorative composition showing the eight 
Buddhas. 1 Nos. 795 and 807 are evidently parts of one 
and the same frieze, but the fragments do not fit together. 
The subject is not definitely known. One of the most 
striking exhibits in the Museum is No. 799, PL 3, an 
image of the Ascetic Gautama. Only one other similar 
statue is known, namely, that discovered by Sir Harold 
Deane, K.C.I.E., at Sikri, and which is now in the Lahore 
Museum but the subject is occasionally represented oil 
bas-reliefs and in miniature. Cf. 1911, 1912. The ema- 
ciated figure is meant to recall the six years of fasting and 
austerities which Gautama underwent as an ascetic 
subsequent to the Great Renunciation, and prior to the 
attainment of Enlightenment (Introd. 16). When he set 
out to follow the, religious life he naturally adopted the 
methods current among his people and it was not until 
Jbe had proved these to be fruitless, that he struck out the 

1 GriinwedeJ, Buddhist Art in India, pp. 181, 188. 



86 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

path for himself , which eventually led him to that supreme 
knowledge by virtue of which he is called " the Buddha," 
i.e., the Enlightened One. The relief sculptured on the 
pedestal of this figure is elsewhere unknown in Gandhara 
sculpture ; it represents, appropriately enough, the second 
long period of fasting which Gautama underwent, namely, 
the seven weeks' fast immediately following the Enligh- 
tenment. The story so graphically represented is that 
of the two merchants Trapusha and Bhallika (Introd. 21). 

Case 34. The Legendary Scenes in this case are badly 
damaged and call for little remark. No. 81 6- A B is 
the most important as it shows the general size and shape 
of a false niche, or rather of the upper or crowning por- 
tion of the same. The reliefs arc in a deplorable condi- 
tion, but the main scene is recognizable as the Dipankara- 
jataka (Introd. 1). The fragment No. 81 6- A, depicts 
an abbreviated version of the Angulimala legend. Cf. 
No. 1317. The little circular medallion No. 810, it may 
be noticed, originally formed part of another Dipankara- 
jataka scene, and shows the youth Megha or Sumati in 
the air worshipping Dipankara Buddha. 

Cases 35-36. These cases contain the Devotional 
Sculptures of the Takht-i-Bahi Collection. A number of 
the fragments, especially in Case 36, seem originally to 
have been part of one long composition (cf. Nos. 842, 844, 
847, 858, 859. etc.) but it is impossible to restore the whole. 
The most interesting of the group are Nos. 835 and 858. 
Both show a seated Buddha in the centre, with hands 
folded in the attitude of meditation, dhyana, and with a 
number of smaller standing Buddha figures at an angle 
on either side, while a noticeable feature of both is the 
crescent moon above the central Buddha's head. Nos. 
850 and 859, having a Bodhisattva with three radiating 
figures on either side, are worthy of attention as the former 
has a crescent 1 above the head and one of the radiating 
figures bears a trident. Fragment No. 848 is another 

1 The crescent moon is associated with AvalokiteSvara in later art. 



THE SCULPTURES. 87 

very valuable and suggestive stone for like No. 503 it 
shows Avalokitesvara on the left of the Buddha, whereas 
in most of these compositions of the Miracles of Sravasti 
this, the place of honour, is usually given to the Bodhi- 
sattva Maitreya. The sculpture is very late, and this in a 
way strengthens the possibility that the change in posi- 
tion may correspond with a change in the popular esti- 
mation of Avalokitesvara, but, it is impossible to deter- 
mine the question at present. Cf. Cases 70, 71. The 
fragment, however, is a good illustration of how very 
valuable archseologically a sculpture may be, even when 
distinctly inferior in execution or beauty. Nos. 848 and 
830 are the only Gandhara images hitherto known depict- 
ing the Buddha seated in European fashion. 1 

Cases 37-39. The Bodhisattva fragments from Takht- 
i-Bahi show a remarkable range and variety. The deli- 
cately carved head No. 886, with its extraordinary head- 
dress adorned with double-tailed Tritons and such an 
uncouth figure as No. 909, for instance, or No. 925 in Case 
38 hardly seem assignable to the same period and point 
to a protracted occupation of the monastery of Takht-i- 
Bahi. But apart from such evidences of decadence as is 
afforded by the ugly and meaningless arrangement of the 
drapery in figure No. 920, or the grotesque lack of propor- 
tion in No. 911, this case presents few features worthy of 
remark. 

The pose of the seated Bodhisattva No. 938, with the 
right knee raised, is relatively uncommon, but not un- 
known. Cf. No. 887. The majority of the images, 
unfortunately, lack their attributes (cf. Nos. 957, 958 
and 959), but where they are preserved, as in Nos. 905 
and 913, they support the theory already stated that the 
figure with the loop of hair to the right is the Bodhisattva 
Maitreya. The form of the headdress, makes it highly 
probable that Avalokitesvara is the divinity represented 

1 A relief Q. 50 Indian Museum, Calcutta, shows the Buddha similarly 
seated while an attendant washes his feet. 

02 



88 SCULPTURED IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

by Nos. 886, 896, 903, 938 and possibly 944, although, it 
cannot be definitely affirmed. That No. 958 represents 
Maitreya is practically certain despite the absence of the 
alabastron ; while the similarity of head No. 950 to the one 
numbered 192 has been noted together with the possibi- 
lity that both represent some particular Bodhisattva 
not yet identified. 

Cases 40-43. That the excavations at Takht-i-Bahi 
yielded a surprisingly large number of Buddha heads is 
shown by the rich collection in Cases 40-43 where the 
range is perhaps greater even than in the case of the Bodhi- 
sattvas. The image No. 086 is certainly among the most 
chaste and beautiful of those in the Museum, while none 
is more feeble and insipid than the head No. 1030, or 
coarser than No. 1074. Perhaps the best of the heads 
are in Case 41, but Nos. 903, 906, 1049, 1053 and the 
beautiful large mask 1068 are all interesting, and definitely 
older than ^Nos. 970, 1030, 1045 and 1074. Another 
certainly late production is No. 1043, one of the few 
terracotta figures in this collection ; the material may 
explain in some measure the deviation from the normal 
type. Cf. No. 1635. Finally the interesting hand No. 
1056 may be mentioned, with its begging bowl holding 
the coils of a serpent. There are several stories recount- 
ing the Buddha's victories over particular serpents but 
from the popularity of the Kasyapa scenes this is probably 
from such a sculpture as No. 1842. 

Case 44. -The miscellaneous sculptures recovered at 
Takht-i-Bahi in 1908 include a number of very interesting 
fragments, but they do not appear to advantage when 
massed in such numbers. No. 1093, the first in the case, 
represents the Tutelary Couple (Introd. 36). Hariti 
as a goddess of fecundity, has certain points in common 
with the classical Ceres, or Demeter, and it is not sur- 
prising, therefore, that the cornucopia should be asso- 
ciated with her in Gandhara, as in No. 1096. She is, 
however, usually distinguished, not by this exotic symbol, 



THE SCULPTURES. 89 

but by the presence of some of her very numerous off- 
spring, little gnomes or spirits of the yaksha class of which 
Panchika is the senapati. This more typical form is 
illustrated by Nos. 241, 1093 and 1101. A classical 
element of interest is shown in No. 1099, which, like the 
smaller fragment No. 1137, depicts the King of the Birds, 
Garuda, snatching up a snake deity or ndga, after, the 
manner of the eagle of Zeus and Ganymede, cf. No. 497. 
These two medallions have tapering mortices behind 
like No. 221 and must originally have iittcd tenons in the 
headdresses of Bodhisattva images. Other interesting 
pieces are the medallion No. 1122, probably representing 
the elevation and worship of the boy Suinati in the Dipan- 
kara-jataka, and the very curiously bowed figure No. 
1132. But the most valuable piece in this group, and 
indeed one of the finest examples of Gandhara sculptures 
in the Museum, is the largo composition in three pieces 
numbered 1151-A, B, and 0. The general size and shape 
of this sculpture are clear from the portions preserved. 
The Buddha is seated in the centre, in what is intended 
as a wild and mountainous spot, with numberless ascetics 
or " Forest-dwellers ", and various birds and beasts as 
his companions. Cf. 1944. 

A few divine personages are present of whom Panchika 
is still preserved on the right. Other small fragments of 
this relief are Nos. 1118, 1133,* 1134, 1147 and 1148, but 
it is impossible to restore them to their proper positions. 
That the sculpture, as a whole, was most elaborate and 
most beautiful is obvious. Nowhere are heads and faces 
more successfully drawn, or limbs better proportioned 
and more delicately modelled than in the figures of the 
Brahman hermits along the base of this sculpture ; nor 
does any other specimen of Gandhara art display a greater 
naturalness in the depiction of animal life or a greater 
fidelity to nature in the presentation of plant forms. The 
astonishing realistic representation of the bauhinia foliage 
above the ascetics on the extreme right is especially 
noteworthy. 



90 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

The story depicted is that of the sixteen Brahman 
ascetics, who came to the Buddha to solve their difficulties 
(Introd. 35). This legend is again found on the pedestal 
of No. 238. 

Case 45. The stucco fragments from Takht-i-Bahi 
are singularly well preserved and in many instances of 
exceptional delicacy and beauty. The great variety is 
very noticeable, when, ^ here, the heads are grouped 
together. The majority represent Bucldhas and Bodlii- 
sattvas, but not all as is clear from the extraordinary 
bearded head, No. 1190, and the heavily moustached one, 
No. 1189, beside it. Such heads as 'Nos. 1189, 1190, 
1197 and 1198 modelled to represent the face turned to 
one side are clearly from some large composition. No 
Bodhisattvas are definitely recognizable, with the excep- 
tion of Nos. 1173, 1178 and 1204 which appear to 
represent Maitreya. By far the greater number arc 
Buddha heads, and special mention may be made of Nos. 
1168, 1172, 1203, 1209, 1211 and also 1177 the last being 
a good example of what Professor Griinwedel calls the 
Hindu type. 

Case 46. -But of even larger interest than the heads 
are the other stucco fragments from Takht-i-Balu in Case 
46. It is well known that little stupas and other build- 
ings at ancient Buddhist sites in this Province were ela- 
borately decorated with friezes a.nd other ornamental 
work in stucco, but, actual legendary scenes in this medium 
have on account of their relative frailty rarely been re- 
covered. Here, however, we have stucco fragments 
of legendary scenes executed on a fairly large scale. They 
originally formed part of the ornamentation on the little 
stupas in the central court of the monastery. The two 
large pieces Nos. 1265 and 1267 at the bottom of the case 
both depict the youthful Siddhartha's voluptuous life 
in the palace before his renunciation (Introd. 13). Below, 
we see the female musicians, the careful modelling of the 
apparently nude figure in No. 1265 being especially note- 



THE SCULPTURES. 91 

worthy. Above, the young prince is shown rising from 
his couch prepared to flee from his sleeping wife and 
enter on his long search for salvation. Other familiar 
scenes are the First Sermon represented by fragments 
Nos. 1250 and 1252 (Introd. 22), the Birth by the 
very interesting sculptures Nos. 1241 and 1242 (Inlrod. 
6), and the Temptation (Introd. 19) by the curious frag- 
ment No. 1232, which represents the torso of one of Mara's 
demons with a diabolical face on the breast. Another 
well executed fragment is No. 1249, depicting a mailed 
figure drawing a heavy sword ; but whether this is Mai a 
or not, it is impossible to say. Its smaller size, in any 
case, precludes the possibility of its having formed pa/t 
of the composition of which No. 1232 is a fragment. 

Case 47. - This and the following case contain the 
stone fragments recovered at Takht-i-Bahi in 1909, during 
the clearance of the extreme eastern portion of the site 
and of the outer face of the main wall on the south. Frag- 
ment No. 1270 again shows the Buddha and two Bodhi- 
sattvas, with Avalokitesvara occupying the position of 
honour on the left. The curved stone No. 1278 is also 
a valuable piece, showing an interesting series of standing 
Buddha figures under rounded arches alternating with 
seated Buddhas under the peculiar "fronton coupe " of 
Takht-i-Bahi. Another instance of the same design is 
shown in No. 1282. The apparently uninteresting frag- 
ment No. 1283 is really one of the most valuable in the 
Museum, as the back is definitely sculptured with the folds 
of the drapery, thus unlike every other image in the 
Museum being truly in the round. The unusual pose 
of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, No. 1 284, may be mentioned, 
as images with the feet crossed at the ankle are com- 
paratively rare in Gandhara. 

Case 48. Among the Takht-i-Bahi fragments of 1909, 
included in this case, special attention may be drawn to 
the excellent little Buddha No. 1298 and to the* group 
representing the Tutelary Couple, No. 1299, where again 



92 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

Pafichika is seated on the left as in No, 1093. The heads 
numbered 1301, 1302 and 1303 are all good, the last being 
specially remarkable for the sculptured outline of the 
pupil in the eye, rare in the early art of Gandhara, though a 
regular feature of the later images from Shah-ji-ki-Dheii. 
The badly damaged sculpture No. 1320 is valuable as an 
extreme instance of the exaggerated size sometimes given 
to the main figure in a group, the attendants to right and 
left being in this case dwarfs in comparison, and for the 
interesting form of the pedestal. But the most note- 
worthy of all the pieces in this case is the very well carved 
block No. 1319. On each side one scene is sculptured, 
enclosed on either side by a wide Corinthian pilaster with 
square shaft with leaf and dart moulding. The scenes 
represented are those of the cycle of Mahaparinirvana, 
but the order, curiously enough, is the exact reverse of 
what is customary. The Death itself (Introd. 39) is the 
first of the series. Next to this on the right, instead of 
on the left, as was to have been expected, conies the Cre- 
mation (Introd. 40) with two attendants pouring water 
or milk upon the flames. This is followed on the right by 
the Guarding of the Relics, where these are shown draped 
and garlanded under the watch and ward of two of the 
MalLa chieftains. The fourth and last scene appears to 
represent the cult of the Buddha after the Mahaparinir- 
vana. The Buddha is shown seated in meditation (dhydna) 
with Indra and Brahma standing in adoration to his left 
and right respectively. In other words, this sculpture, 
believed to be unique, represents the Apotheosis of the 
Buddha and his worship by the heavenly host. 

Case 49. - Most of the sculptures in the cases of the 
lower gallery were obtained in excavations carried out 
subsequent to 1907 at various sites in the neighbourhood 
of Peshawar. Those in Cases 49-54 were recovered by 
Dr. Spooner at Sahribahlol in 1909-10. Of the decorative 
details Nos. 1321 and 1322 are of special interest, for the 
scroll of vine leaves with grapes and tendrils, though 
definitely a foreign motif, has become thoroughly accli- 



THE SCULPTURES. 93 

matised and monkeys and a peacock seem quite at home 
in the volutes. Cf. No. 109. The winged Atlantes, 
No. 1323 and double-tailed Tritons and winged dragons 
of No. 1325 are fitting companions of the winged adoring 
centaur. No. 1330 and of the more militant centaur with 
shield depicted in No. 1331. Cf. No. 1G58. The unique 
relief No. 1327 showing a water pot with lotus flowers 
and buds flanked by curious standards with long pennons 
is possibly a representation, in the manner in the Ancient 
Indian School, of the Birth of the Buddha. Lamps appear 
to have been common offerings at these Buddhist shrines 
cf. No. 74-L, and the Museum possesses several specimens, 
but No. 1341 is the largest example so far recovered. 
Cf. Nos. 769-M., 770-M., 1687, 1688, 1689. 

Case 50. The reliefs in this case are almost entirely 
devotional in character showing adoration of the Budclha, 
Bodhisattvas or of relics. In No. 1345 a monk on the 
left leads five adoring females into the presence of a 
seated Bodhisattva while on the right a similar monk 
precedes four worshipping male laics. The Nagas shown 
in Nos. 1354 and 1355 must be from some representation 
of the Miracle of Sravasti of which No. 1361 is an abbre- 
viated version and where on the pedestal an adoring donor 
kneels on either side of an elevated incense burner. But 
the most interesting sculpture is No. 1364 a pair of 
hands holding a miniature shrine such as is carried by the 
image No, 1427 and found at the same site.' The hands, 
although obviously not those of a Buddha, bear traces of 
the so-called " webbing " between the fingers. 

Case 51. The legendary scenes of this case are of 
special interest and several await identification. No. 1366 
is seemingly an incident in the life of that monomaniac 
of charity, the prince Visvantara and shows him pre- 
senting the state elephant to the Brahman (Introd. 3). 
Whether No. 1367 represents the Yava-Maj jhaklya Jataka, 
in which a sorely tested and faithful wife succeeded by 
a stratagem in freeing herself from the importunities of 



94 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

her suitors by getting them all into one box, is doubtful. 
The absence of the Buddha from No. 1369 would seem to 
relegate this incident to some jdtaJca or to a legend where 
the intervention of the Buddha occurs later in the story. 
The centra] emaciated figure appears to be crossing a 
stream indicated by wavy lines on the relief and on the 
lower edge. The Buddha putting his arm through the 
walls of a cave suggests the story of Buddha re-assuring 
Ananda, but confirmative details are lacking and No. 
1370 still needs interpretation. 

The Mahaparinirvana reliefs are recalled by No. 1372 
but the recumbent figure is not that of a Buddha and the 
usual monks and other personages are likewise absent 
so the relief cannot definitely be identified. 

The story of Angulimala (Introd. 30) is depicted most 
graphically and vigorously in No. 1371. The garland 
of fingers both in the headdress and when fallen to 1he 
ground leaves no doubt as to the identification of the 
robber. 

The conversion of Kasyapa and particularly the inci- 
dents dealing with the victory over the snake in the fire 
temple appear to have been favourite themes for the 
sculptors of Gandhfira and No. J373 is a more detailed 
representation than usual. Cf. Nos. 1376, 1378, 1890. 
The relief on the pedestal shows very appropriately the 
Buddha in meditation with the snake about to creep into 
the alms bowl. 

Case 52. No. 1374, a well preserved stucco relief 
of the Birth and Seven Steps (Introd. 6) still preserves 
traces of its original colour. 

No. 1377, a fragment from a relief showing the Flight 
from Kapilavastu (Introd. 13), depicts both the horse, 
Kanthaka and the groom Chandaka who holds aloft the 
royal umbrella. The popularity of the Kasyapa legend 
is again evidenced by Nos. 1376, 1378. but in each case the 
left hand holding the alms bowl with the snake is missing. 



THE SCULPTURES. 95 

The Dlpahkara-jataka (In trod, 1) is treated on an 
unusually large scale in No. 1379 and the deer skin and hair 
under the feet of Dfpankara Buddha are very realistically 
rendered. 

Cases 53-54. The Bodhisattva figures of Case 53 
present no new features. Nos. 1381, 1383, 1385, 1387, 
1388 and 1389 appear to be Maitreya and the hand No. 
1382 is from a statuette of that Bodhisattva, The long 
necked vase adored by two kneeling donors on the pedestal 
of No. 1387 strengthens the identification of that image 
as one of the Bodhisattva Maitreya. But the most 
striking sculpture is No. 1390, the portrait head of an 
aged monk. The markedly aquiline nose and small but 
determined lips indicate a stern and commanding per- 
sonality, while in the high forehead is found an indication 
of intellectual power sufficient to explain why such an 
exceptional honour as a portrait statue was accorded to a 
monk. The unfinished hand, No. 1391, bearing a minia- 
ture shrine, would appear to have been part of this un- 
usually fine and unique statue. Cf. Nos. 1364, 1427. 

In Case 54 the so-called " webbing " of the fingers 
is very noticeable in Nos. 1400, 1401 and in the right 
hand of No. 1402. The centre scene of No. 1417, a sculp- 
ture from Case 55, represents the story of the White Dog 
whir-h barked at the Buddha (Introd. 28). Cf. No. 794. 

Case 55. The sculptures in this case were recovered 
by excavations at Takbt-i-Bahi and Shah-jI-ki-Dheii 
during the years 1908-11. 

No. 1412 is the lower edge of an elaborate representa- 
tion of the Miracle of Sravasti (Introd. 32). Emerging 
a mi-corps from the water on either side of the lotus stem 
are the two naga-rajas, Nanda and Upananda, one armed 
with a spear, the other having a lotus flower in the right 
hand and a dolphin round his right shoulder. Cf. No. 
1735. A couple of haloed divinities are similarly depicted 
on either sido of the lotus throne and on both ends of the 
relief are smaller lotus pedestals for the usual attendant 



96 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

Bodhisattvas and divinities. No. 1415 is in curiously 
low relief but presents interesting details of female cos- 
tume, coiffure and jewellery. Few more interesting and 
detailed representations of the martial exercises than No. 
1408 have been recovered and the Bodhisattva is seen 
engaged in archery, and about to take part in a tug of 
war, while one of the competitors prepares a sling (Introd. 
9). Statues of the emaciated Buddha are comparatively 
rare but No. 1413 from Shah-ji-ki-Dheri is clearly from 
one of these compositions. 

In No. 1416 Panchika and Hariti are represented with 
considerable vigour and much wealth of detail. Of. No. 
241. 

Case 56. The exhibits in Cases 56-65 were obtained 
in 1912 by Sir Aurel Stein, K.C.I.E., from a small mound 
at Sahribahlol. The stucco fragments and reliefs, some 
of which were found in situ, are representative of the 
school towards its decline when artistic effort was weaken- 
ing. With these productions should be compared the 
stucco remains in Cases A, 1, 45, 46, etc. 

Case 57. The miscellaneous sculptures of Case 57 
call for no special mention but the Atlantes Nos. 1496, 
1498, 1500 from cornices are typical details. No. 1501 is 
a medallion from the headdress of a Bodhisattva such as 
No. 1384 and has a tapering mortice behind like No. 221. 
Unusually large and well rendered is the lion No. 1506. 
Smaller lions fed by little yakshas or Cupids are com- 
monly found on the ends of the thrones of images. Cf. 
Nos. 238, 1433. The fragment No. 1505 is from such a 
pedestal. An examination of the pedestal of No. 1436 will 
reveal how these lion figures were so easily separated. 

Cases 58-60. The sculptures of Case 58, principally 
pedestals of images, show seated Buddhas and Bodhi- 
sattvas receiving the adoration of both monks and laity. 
Scenes, however, more spirited in action were once depicted 
on either side of the Bodhisattva of No. 1517. Though 
now fragmentary the scene to the right was probably 



THE SCULPTURES. 97 

the Submission of Apalala (Introd. 29), that to the left 
the Conversion of Angulimala (Introd. 30). 

With the exception of the decadent relief No. 1525 
the sculptures in Case 59 are all forms of the Miracle of 
Sravasti. No. 1528 is a typical specimen with the dupli- 
cated images of the Buddha in little shrines on the upper 
corners. A more abbreviated but pleasing example is 
No. 1527, PI. 2 (a), resembling Nos. 158, 171. Fragment 
No. 1526 from the upper left of an elaborate composition 
such as No. 1554 shows the Buddha with an aureole of 
flanking Buddhas on either side. Cf. No. 1734. 

In Case 60, Nos. 1529, J540, are likewise fragments 
from similar scenes, the former displaying the very ela- 
borately treated stem of the lotus. One of the most 
interesting sculptures in the Museum is No. 1534 where 
we see an image of the Buddha being presented to the 
Buddha himself ! As before noted the Buddha image is 
due to the school of Gandlr.ra, which arose some four 
hundred years after his death. The sculptor, has, there- 
fore, been guilty of an anachronism, but with such a relief 
before them it is easy to realise how the unsuspecting 
Buddhists came to believe that there were images of the 
Buddha during his life-time and why the Chinese pilgrims 
refer to images contemporary with the Master. 

No satisfactory identification of the very striking 
sculpture No. 1537 has yet been advanced but the com- 
position of which it is a fragment would appear to have 
been on an unusually large scale. 

Case 81. An exceptional feature, the haloed Bodhi- 
sattva in the arms of his nurse, and not in the lap of Asita, 
is seen in No. 1541, the Horoscope of the Bodhisattva. 
C/. No. 1726 (Introd. 7). No. 1543, though only doubtfully 
a form of the Miracle of Sravasti, is clearly founded upon 
such reliefs as is evidenced by the pose of the hands, the 
lotus throne and the princely attendants. No. 1544 
is certainly from such a relief. 



98 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

On the right of the seated Bodhisattva of No. 1549 
we see the Buddha presenting the snake in the alms bowl 
to Kasyapa. Cf. No. 1710 (Introd. 23). The elephant 
of No. 1550 emerging from a gateway is Nalagiri yet to 
be subdued by the Buddha. Cf. No. 1850 (Introd. 37). 
The costume of the headless figure on the left of No. 1551 
is worthy of examination. 

No. 1545, the Presentation of the Four Bowls (Introd. 
20), formed part of the false niche of a stupa, of which an 
almost complete specimen is seen in the now combined 
fragments Nos. 1548, 1552. 

Case 62. Both Nos. 1553 and 1554 are elaborate 
representations of the Miracle of Sravasti (Introd. 32). 
No. 1553 seemingly of late date shows the Buddha on a 
throne supported by a lotus and with small meditating 
Bodhisattvas to right and left. The cherubs supporting 
the crown above the Buddha are well preserved and 
explain the purpose of such figures as Nos. 1492, 1494. 
Much variety of pose is exhibited by the divine figures 
flanking the Buddha. The scene on the upper left shows 
him with an aureole of standing Buddhas, that to the 
right a seated Buddha between two monks and a bearded 
Vajrapani. 

A still more complete relief is No. 1554. Here ele- 
phants support the lotus, and a small Buddha figure is 
upheld by the trunk of the centre one. The elephant 
is not entirely inappropriate here as the word ndga has 
the double meaning of both serpent and elephant. Two 
small haloed figures are also upheld by these " nagas " 
near the shoulders of the Buddha. 

The Indo-Persepolitan columns and capitals, the 
balconies with female spectators, the modillion cornices, 
the double domed chapels, and the stupa with its pinnacle 
of umbrellas, and flanking lion-crowned pillars are worthy 
of detailed examination. Not an inch of space is left 
undecorated and even legendary scenes are found between 



THE SCULPTURES. 99 

the little stupa and the chapels, the Dipankara Jataka to 
rigfit (Introd. 1) and the Offering of the Handful of Dust 
to the left (Introd. 27). 

Cases 63-65. No new features are represented by the 
Bodhisattvas of Case 63 which fall into the two types 
already described. No. 1560 in very low relief seems to be 
of late date. The evidence that the second and third 
fingers of the large hand No. 1566 were additions to the 
stone is not without interest and accounts for their loss. 

The Buddhas of Case 64 exhibit several forms of the 
treatment of the hair, by natural wavy lines, light curls 
and a modified naturalistic form as in No. 1575. Two of 
the ever popular Kasyapa scenes again appear in Nos. 
1569, 1577 (Introd. 23). 

The ornamented edge of the halo of the late relief 
No. 1567 should be noted. Cf. No. 1424. No. 1572 is, 
in reality, the head of a small Bodhisattva figure. 

Most of the sculptures of Case 65 are late and decadent 
but No. 1584 showing the Bodhisattva Maitreya with 
adoring figures is not without interest, and No. 1591, the 
Bodhisattva seated in easy attitude on a draped cane 
seat is a very successful effort. The sandal from which 
the right foot has been withdrawn is cleverly and realisti- 
cally rendered. 

Case 66.- Cases 66-74 contain sculptures obtained 
by Sir Aurel Stein, K.C.I.E., during the excavation of 
Mound C. at Sahribahlol in 1912. 

The stucco fragments present much variety, archi- 
tectural details, heads of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, monks, 
ascetics, laics and even horses being shown. The frag- 
mentary friezes Nos. 1606, 1607, 1608 are stucco very 
successfully coloured to imitate the local stone. No. 1635 
is a terracotta figurine and differs not only in technique 
but in costume, jewellery and coiffure from the images 
of the Grandhara school and appears to be an importation. 
Cf. No. 1043. Nos. 1645, 1652, 1653 were found in situ 
adorning the base of a stupa. 



100 SCULPTURED IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

Cases 67-68. The fragments in Case 67 present no 
novel features but No. 1658, the armed centaur, No. 1677 
a double-tailed Triton, and Nos. 1679, 1682, ichthyocen- 
taurs and the curious fish-tailed bull, No. 1681 are striking 
productions. Three stone lamps Nos. 1687, 1688 and 
1689 are presumably votive offerings. No. 1690 is the 
fragment of a stone umbrella from a stupa. 

Scenes of devotion form the subject of most of the 
reliefs in Case 68 but the costumes and coiffures of the 
worshippers, notably on Nos. 1695, 1701 and 1703 de- 
serve attention as these were, almost certainly sketched 
from life. Noteworthy too are the Yavanls treated as 
caryatides, in Nos. 1697 and 1698. 

Case 69. The identified legendary scenes represented 
in this case are No. 1708. The Offering of the Handful 
of Dust (Introd. 27) ; No. 1710. Presentation of the 
snake in the alms bowl to Kasyapa (Introd. 23) ; No. 1718. 
The Bodhisattva preparing for the flight from. Kapila- 
vastu, where Kanthaka and Chandaka are both shown in the 
royal bedchamber (Introd. 13) ; No. 1723. The approach 
to the Bodhi Tree (two scenes) (Introd. 18) ; No. 1726. 
The Horoscope (Introd. 7) ; and No. 1716. The Visit of the 
Naga Elapatra (Introd. 38). This last relief, a unique 
specimen, shows Elapatra twice, first as a princely figure 
in adoring attitude on the extreme left with a cobra 
forming a canopy over his head, and again in his natural 
animal form before the throne. This visit is reputed to 
have occurred at Benares and is probably why the general 
form of the First Sermon is preserved in this relief, even 
to the presence of five monks. 

In No. 1719 the Bodhisattva is seen riding a ram. 
Cf. No. 131. Nos. 1712, 1713, 1717 and 1720 are pro- 
bably scenes from JdtaJcas but await certain identifica- 
tion, as does No. 1714 which recalls a similar figure in 
No. 1426. 

Cases 70-71. The reliefs in Cases 70 and 71 , excepting 
perhaps No. 1734, deal with the Miracle of SravastI and 



THE SCULPTURES. 101 

witness the growing popularity of these compositions 
as the art of the school declined, for though Nos. 1729 and 
1735 still display some feeling and vigour most of these 
reliefs exhibit a lifeless mediocrity (Introd. 32). Con- 
siderable variety is shown in the attendant figures but the 
Buddha seated in the preaching attitude on a lotus, or 
throne supported by a lotus, and flanked by standing 
Bodhisattva figures continues to form the central feature. 
The position of the Bodhisattvas is not constant. The 
duplicate Buddha images are absent in Nos. 1729, 1731 
and 1736, but appear as standing figures, four on each 
side, to form an aureole to the central Buddha of No. 1734 
which, it should be noted, is in the attitude of meditation. 
In this relief elephants support adoring divinities on their 
trunks. Cf. No. 1554. 

The watery world with ndgas, lotuses and waterfowl, 
is well rendered in No. 1735 where the dolphin 1 again 
appears on the right arm of one of the ndga-rdjas. Cf. 
No. 1412. The sculptor of No. 1738 displays some teme- 
rity in representing the flanking Buddhas a mi carps in 
the little panels but lacks the hardihood of the artist of 
No. 1553 who ventured to chisel the crown above the 
Buddha in almost full relief. 

Case 72. The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara appears 
to be represented by Nos. 1740, 1743, 1745, 1746 and 
1747 so that the Buddha in the headdress of No. 1740 
seated with hands in the attitude of meditation may be 
assumed to be the Dhyani-Buddha Amitabha. Cf. Nos. 
221, 222. 

No. 1742 is the Bodhisattva Maitreya but the real 
interest of this case is centred on No. 1739, PL 1, for this 
is the only certain image of the Bodhisattva Siddhartha 
in the Museum. The identification is assured beyond 
dispute by the ploughing scene on the right of the pedestal 

1 The dolphin is one of the Hellenistic details of the Graeco-Buddhist school. 

H 



102 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

and the composition as a whole represents the First 
Meditation of the Bodhisattva (Introd. 12). 

In reality the sculpture is a legendary scene where the 
figure of the protagonist is so enlarged as to become an 
image, the other part of the action being relegated to the 
pedestal. This suggests the interesting question, whether 
images may not have been evolved by similar methods 
from legendary reliefs. The figures to the left of the 
incense-burner are donors. With No. 1739 should be 
compared the Kasyapa scene No. 1577 where the Buddha 
is out of all proportion to the rest of the figures and be- 
comes a free statuette when the pedestal is broken. Cf. 
No. 1842. 

Case 73. The Buddha images in this case appear to 
represent a long period of artistic effort. Between the 
execution of No. 1751 and No. 1748 a considerable time 
must have elapsed. Where the hair is treated in natural 
wavy lines, the technique is usually superior to that 
where a meaningless schematic treatment is given to the 
hair. The small image No. 1760 might have been placed 
in a miniature shrine such as No. 602. 

No. 1763 is one of the few sculptures in the Museum 
where the Buddha is given a trefoil aureole. 

Case 74. To the tedious monotony of endless Buddha 
and Bodhisattva figures welcome variety is afforded by 
the images of Case 74. From the treatment of the dra- 
pery. No. 1767 appears to be of late date. The costume, 
no doubt sketched from life, resembles that worn by the 
females in No. 1701. Very noticeable are the elongated 
lobes of the ear. 

No. 1768 is somewhat like the head No. 268 in Case 
12. The hair generally is treated naturally and despite 
the small looped lock the head is undoubtedly that of a 
layman as it lacks the urna. In all probability it formed 
part of a statue such as No. 1427 and may have been a 
portrait. 



THE SCULPTURES. 103 

The striking figure No. 1770 with its long robe sug- 
gests at first glance a monk, but the earrings and hair 
make it certain that it is a figure of some layman. The 
crown of the head is tonsured save for a little lock of hair 
(choti) in the centre. It is unfortunate that the right fore- 
arm, probably upraised in the act of scattering flowers, 
is now lost but the left hand still holding them shows 
that the figure is of some adoring follower of the Buddha. 
No trace of " webbing " is found between the fingers t of 
the left hand. A similar flower-bearing figure on a smaller 
scale is No. 1769 which exhibits interesting details of 
costume. 

The most arresting image is No. 1773, PL 4 (6), where 
we see Hariti clothed exactly as is the adoring figure No. 
1767. Artistically this cannot be compared with the 
gracious figure of No. 241 but iconographically it is of the 
greatest possible value as showing the progress of Indiani- 
zation. Prom her yaksha spouse, Panchika, she has 
borrowed the wine cup and weapon (now become a tri- 
dent) but the auspicious water pot in her lower left hand 
and the little child in the corresponding right hand still 
mark her as the goddess of fertility. Her demonic nature 
has not, however, been forgotten and is indicated by the 
projecting tusk-like teeth. The elongated ear-lobes, the 
veil, the elaborate coiffure and abundance of jewellery 
should be noted. Her advancement to divine rank is 
proved by the halo but the presence of the urna is in- 
explicable. The upper left hand shows traces of " web- 
bing " between the fingers. The two standing figures 
at her feet are donors. With this four-armed image 
compare No. 1926. 

Case 75. No. 1774, the Bodhisattva preparing for 
his flight from the palace (Introd. 13), shows Chandaka 
and Kanthaka more reasonably placed outside the royal 
bed-chamber. Of. No. 1718. The object borne by Chan- 
daka is the royal turban (ushnlsha) which later became an 
object of worship. The Offering of the Handful of Dust 



104 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

appears again in No. 1776 (Introd. 27) and the First 
Sermon in No. 1781. Panchika still armed with a spear, 
but now seated on a lion, is seen in No. 1779. 

Structural railings are rare in Gandhara but three 
ornamented pillars of a railing with four cross-bars are 
seen in Nos. 1780, 1784 and 1790. It will be noted from 
the mortise holes that the cross bars of the railings were 
plano-convex, not double convex like those of Central 
India. 

The sculptors of Gandhara do not appear to have 
worked in marble and the fragment No. 1777 is clearly 
an importation and of later date than the other sculptures 
in this case. 

Case 76. The stucco figures from Mound H. Sahri- 
bahlol should be compared with those from Mound C. at 
the same site and exhibited in Case 66. These are well 
preserved and show great variety. Slight traces of 
colouring still remain on NovS. 1797 and 1809. No. 1839 
has an aureole resembling the sculpture No. 1763. Cf. 
1631. 

Case 77. Some idea of the wealth of sculptures 
which formerly adorned the monastery in Takht-i-Bahl 
may be formed from the interesting reliefs exhibited in 
Cases 77 and 78, recovered from a very small area in 1912- 
13. Two scenes from the Advance to the Bodhi Seat are 
seen in No. 1840, to the right the Offering of the Grass- 
cutter, to the left the Buddha by the Bodhi Seat, at the 
foot of which kneels the spirit of the tree (Introd. 18). 
An emaciated Buddha is seen in No. 1841 (Introd. 16). 
The statuette No. 1842 is from a Kasyapa scene, the 
figures of the ascetics being lost by the breakage of the 
stone. Cf. No. 1373. The pedestal shows the snake 
about to creep into the alms bowl while the Buddha sits 
lost in meditation (Introd. 23). Four of the five panels- 
of No. 1844, PL 6, are well known legendary scenes : A. 
Mara's Attack (Introd. 19) ; B. The First Sermon (Introd. 
22) ; C. Unidentified ; D, Devadatta's hired assassins 



THE SCULPTURES. 105 

(Introd. 37) ; E, The Mahaparinirvana with the disciple 
MahSkasyapa touching the feet of the Buddha (Introd. 39). 

As three of the four scenes of No. 1846 deal with the 
Mahaparinirvana it seems probable that the uppermost 
panel is connected with that event but its meaning so far 
eludes us. The Mahaparinirvana scene requires no com- 
ment and the Division of the Eelics to the eight claimants 
is clearly depicted, while the last panel is a fitting conclu- 
sion as it snows the relics of the Buddha enshrined in a 
stupa flanked by pillars with lion (?) capitals and receiv- 
ing the worship of both monks and laity (Introd. 41 ; 42). 

The story and actors of the principal panel in No. 1 847 
were no doubt well known to those for whom it was 
created but the clue is now lost and for us it is merely a 
scene of adoration by nameless worshippers. 

Case 78. The right panel of No. 1849 illustrates the 
Invitation of Srigupta (Introd. 34) but the scene with the 
curiously drooping figure is unidentified. As the left 
panel of No. 1850 shows one of the attempts of Devadatta 
to slay the Buddha it is not improbable that the scene 
to the right deals with the attack of his hired assassins 
(Introd. 37). No. 1852 with its miniature stupa appears 
to have been flanked by the same legendary scenes as that 
in No. 1554. 

The curious headdress of the bearded Vajrapani No. 
1858 is strongly reminiscent of Indra from whom also he 
must have originally borrowed his thunderbolt. 

If the seated meditating Buddha with its aureole of 
standing Buddhas is not a representation of the Miracle 
of Sravasti it certainly owes its inspiration to such reliefs. 
In No. 1862, The First Sermon, the deer are omitted but 
the wheel of the law resting upon a tri&ula still remains. 

Cases 83MJ4. In Cases 83-84 the sculptures obtained 
from various sources exhibit much variety. In Case 83 

1 Cases 79, 80, 81, 82 contain arms. 



106 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

the fragment of acanthus capital No. 18-L like the winged 
Ichthyocentaur or Triton No. 14-L, PL 8 (a), is one of the 
importations of the school. The scene in No. 1-L awaits 
identification for though the little child might possibly 
be Rahula, the Buddha's infant son, the Master is not 
shown in the palace of the Sakyas, the scene of their 
meeting, but under a tree in a garden. No. 3 1-L is a 
fragment showing the Life in the Palace while No. 33-L 
depicts the subsequent flight from Kapilavastu. Cf. 
No. 1882. Considerable detail is shown and Chandaka 
with the umbrella, Mam with the bow and the disconso- 
late City Goddess with crenellated crown are all pre- 
served, as well as traces of the ycikslias who formerly 
upheld the forefeet of the now lost Kantliaka (Introd. 13). 
Another of the many statuettes of Buddha presenting the 
snake to Kasyapa is seen in No. 1890. A unique and 
interesting GlaTiula head, No. 913-M, is apparently of 
Hindu origin and certainly of later date than the rest of 
the sculptures. 

In Case 84 the three friezes, Nos. 22, 23, 24-L, PL 8 (6), 
all from the same monument, appear to be purely decora- 
tive. Though they show details of Indian costume they 
exhibit very strong Hellenistic feeling and rank high 
among the productions of the school. The submission 
of the Naga Apalala, No. 28-L, PL 5 (a), differs in detail 
from No. 336, for here while Apalala is shown outside the 
tank two nagis are still in the pool (Introd. 29). A late 
representation of the Birth of the Buddha is seen in No. 
32-L and No. 16-L, the forepart of an elephant from under 
a cornice is better modelled than usual. No. 15-L exhibits 
an uncommon but pleasing and decorative design of pipctl 
leaves and tendrils, PL 8 (c). 

Case 85.- -The sculptures in this case, for the most 
part recent acquisitions from various sources, aie of 
exceptional interest. No. 1938 showing two wrestlers 
bears in Kharoshthi characters the word Minamdrasa 



THE SCULPTURES. 107 

' of Menander'. From its form and treatment ifc is un- 
likely that it ever adorned a, religious building, and though 
it might have been an ex voto of a wrestler Menander, it 
could equally well have served some secular purpose 
as it is cut behind seemingly for convenience of handling. 
With the vigorous treatment of the wrestlers on Menan- 
der 's relief may be contrasted the stiff and doll-like figures 
of No. 30-L where is seen the Wrestling Match (Introd. 
9). No* 1902, a mounted archer discharging an arrow, 
is probably part of the same story of the Martial Exer- 
cises of the Bodhisattva. 

Two scenes from the story of Nanda (Introd. 24) are 
seen in No. 1892 ; the upper one shows him with his wife 
before the intervention of the Buddha, the lower one the 
shaving of his head before ordination. Unfortunately 
the damage to the figure of the barber on the extreme 
left has destroyed the implements of his trade. The 
little standing Buddha from Tordher, No. 1935 is of special 
interest as it bears the remains of a copper torque, pro- 
bably the gift of some devotee more devout than orthodox. 
Representations of Brahma and Indra begging the newly 
enlightened Buddha to preach his doctrine (adhyeshaua) 
are rare in the Peshawar Museum but No. 1915 appears 
to depict this important event. The Invitation of $ri- 
gupta (Introd. 34) is seen in the fragmentary sculpture 
No. 82-L. One of Devadatta's attempts on the lii'e of 
the Buddha (Introd. 37) appears to be represented in No. 
1898, but the story figured in No. 1918 still has to be 
interpreted. A particularly striking form of the Great 
Miracle of Sravasti is seen on No. 85-L, the flames from the 
shoulders and the streams of water from the feet leaving 
no doubt as to the identification (Tntrod. 32). The ascetic 
Buddha, No, 1912, calls for no remark (Infcrod. 16) but the 
similar sculpture No. 1911 at the bottom of the case is 
noteworthy for its absurd anatomy and the extraordinary 
treatment of the veins as well as the curious nimbus. 
No. 1900, the Bath of the Buddha, is believed to be unique 



108 SCULPTURES 'IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

in Gandhara as it represents the two ndga-rdjas in animal 
form (Introd. 6). The Bath of the Buddha and the 
Return from Lumbini appear again in No. 1903, and two 
other scenes from the nativity, the Birth and Horoscope 
in the curved frieze, No. 643-M, and the Birth alone in 
No. 1936. The White Dog which barked at the Buddha is 
shown in No. 35-L (Introd. 28) and in the fragment No. 
1914 is seen the Bodhisattva fleeing from Kapilavastu 
(Introd. 13). 

Portions of two miniature stupas appear in No. 1 897-A, 
1897-B while No. 1920 is the bottom half of a relic casket. 



APPENDIX. 

EXCAVATIONS IN GANDHARA. 

1902-03. Excavations at Charsada (Pushkaravati), the ancient 
capital of Gandhara by Sir John Marshall and Dr. 
Vogel. Cases 25-29, Table Cases E, F, G. 

A. S. /., 1902-03, pp. 141-184. 

1906-07. Excavations at Sahribahlol near Mardan, by Dr. Spooner. 
Cases Ml, Table Case A. 

A. S. L. 1906-07, pp. 102-118. 

1907-08. Excavations at Takht-i-Bahi about 3 miles from Sahri- 
bahlol, by Dr. Spooner. Cases 30-48. 

A. S. /., 1907-08, pp. 132-148. 

1908-09. Excavations at Shah-ji-ki-dheri about one mile east of 
Peshawar City, by Dr. Spooner. Table Case H, 
Case 55. 

A. S. /., 190849, pp. 38-59. 

1908-11. Excavations at Takht-i-Bahl and Shah-jl-kl-dheii. Case 
55. 

1909-10. Excavations at Sahribahlol, by Dr. Spooner. Cases 
49-54, Table Case N. 

A. S. /., 1909-10, pp. 46-62. 

1910-11. Excavations at Shah-ji-kl-dheii, by H. Hargreaves. 
Table Cases H. and N. 

A. S. L, 1910-11, pp. 26-38. 
Excavations at Takht-i-Bahl, by H. Hargreaves. 

A. S. /., 1910-11, pp. 33-39. 

1911-12. Excavations at Sahribahlol, by Sir Aurel Stein. Cases 
56-76. 

A. S. L, 1911-12, pp. 95-118. 

109 



110 SCULPTURES IN THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM. 

1912-13. Excavations at Takht-i-Bahi. Cases 77-78. 

Excavations at Takht-i-Bahi and SahribahloL Table 
Case L. 

1920-21. Excavations at Jamalgarhi by H. Hargreaves. Table 
Case M. 

1920-24. Sculptures recovered during conservation at Jamalgarhi 
and Takht-i-Bahi. 

In the window openings of the lower galleries. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



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. The Origin of the Buddha Image. Art 
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. L'Art Grco-Bouddhique du Gandhara. 
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. Note sur la geographic aneienne du 
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. The Life of the Buddha. London, 1884. 



Ill 



MGIPC-S3-m-9-27-7.2-30-500. 



PLATE 2. 




(a) No, ot pp. 8, 11, 42. 




(b) No. 508, YAKSHAS AND GARLAND, p. 8, 



PLATE 3, 




799, ASCETIC BUPDHA, pp. 8, 29, 85, 



4 




gg 

I 10 

IM 

1*~* 
o o 

?D & 









(a) No, 28 L, OF HACIA pp. 8, 11, 39, 75, 



(6) No. 1891, SYAMA JATAKA, pp. 20, 59. 



PLATE 6, 




No. 1844, (A) THE TEMPTATION. (B) FIEST SERMON. (C) UNIDENTIFIED SCENE. 
(D) DEVADATTA'S ASSASSINS, (E) MAHAPARINIRVANA, pp. 31, 34, 44, 46, 104 ( 










No. 241, HABITI AND PANCHIKA, pp. 44, 50. 



8* 




(a) Ho. 14 Lt s pp. 8, 11, 83, !()(>. 




No. 24 L 9 FKCK/.E otf STANDINCI FitnfiiMK ? pp. 8, Jl, 




(r) Ko. 15 L, CONVENTIONAL DESIGN ox pipal LKA.VES WITH TENDRILS, T>P. 11. 10(5. 



&ATE 9. 




(a) No. 1430, BUDDHA WITH CRYSTAL 
urya, pp. 8, 17, 52, 



(b) No. 1427, ROYAL FEMALE WITH 

MJMA1UBE SBBIKE, p. 53. 



10. 




KANISHKA RELIC CASKET (BRONZE), pp. r>, 10, 47, 



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Palace, Amiuuddaula Park, Lucknow. 
I Rai Sahib M. tiulab Singh & Sons, Mund-i-Am 
I Press, Lahore and Allahabad. 
i Rama Krishna & Sons, Booksellers, Anarkall, Lahore* 
' Purl Brothers, Booksellers and Publishers, Katcherl 

Eoad, Lahore. 

The Tilak School Bookshop, Lahore. 
The Standard Bookstall, Lahore. 
The Proprietor Punjab Sanskrit Book Depot. 

Saldmitha Stieet, Lahore. 
The Insurance Publicity Co., Ltd., Lahore. 
The Punjab Religious Book Society, Lahore. 
Manager of the imperial Book DepOt, 68, Chandnl 

Chauk Street, Delhi. 
Fono Hook Agency, New Delhi. 
Oxford Book and Stationery Company, Delhi and 

Calcutta. 

Supdt., American Baptist Mission Press, Rangoon. 
The Modern Publishing House, Ltd., 80, Phayr 

Street, Rangoon. 

Burma Book Club, Ltd., Rangoon. 
Manager, The "Hituvada," Nagpur. 
Bhisey Brothers, Booksellers and Stationers, Sita- 

baldl, Nagpur. 
S. C. Talukdar, Proprietor, Students & Co., Cooob 

Behar. 

The Manager, Ceylon Observer, Colombo. 
The Manager, The Indian Book Shop, Benares City 
Nandkishorc & Bros., Chowk, Benares City. 
The Srlvlliiputtur Co-operative Trading Union, Ltdf, 

Srivilliputtur (S. I. R.). 
Raghunath Prasad & Sons, Patna City. 
Tho Students' Emporium, Patna. 
K. L. Mathur & Bros., Guzri, Patna City; 
Dandekar Brothers, Indore City. 
Pusht tkalaya Sahayak Sahakarl, Ltd., Baroda. 
The Hyderabad Book Depot, Chadergbai* Hydera- 
bad (Deocaxi). 
Thaknr & Co., Amraotl. 
8. Krhhnaswami & Co., Teppakulam P. O., Trlchl- 

National College Teachers' Union Book Depdt, 
Trlchlnopoly,