Buddha stele

Description

This beautiful stele represents the Buddha seated in a meditative position. He is sitting on the naga Mucilinda. This granite work shows us an important episode in the life of Buddha Sakyamuni. Meditating, the Buddha was sitting on the shore of a lake located in Bodh-Gaya. After a violent storm broke out, the rain caused the water in the lake to rise dangerously. Lost in his meditation, the Buddha was about to be submerged. The cobra Mucilinda, king of the Naga, who inhabited the waters, protected and saved the Buddha by surrounding him with his fan-shaped rings.

Here we can see that the Buddha is indeed in a meditative position, eyes closed, hands brought back to his knees. His face is benevolent, soft and peaceful. A slight smile is still visible on the bottom of his head. The attributes that allow us to recognize the Great Man are also present, the ushnisha, the famous cranial protuberance is well preserved under his hair. The hanging earlobes of the Buddha are also well preserved and whole on either side of his face.

This work is in a good state of preservation, the main details of the iconography are still well visible. Although some elements have disappeared in the course of time, the fine erosion of the granite reveals the sensitive treatment of the latter and highlights the very interesting scene represented here.