Later Buddhist Art
Artist: unknown
Title: Buddha, seated, displaying dharmacakramudra, 3/4 view
detail of face
Material: Chunar sandstone
Site: Sarnath, near Varanasi, India
Current Location: Sarnath Museum, India
Period/Date: Gupta (ca. 5th century C.E.)
Iconography/Iconology: A Buddha displaying dharmacakramudra and seated
on a throne over a wheel that is flanked by two deer is the standard Buddhist
image of the First Sermon and of the Buddhist teachings in general. This
figure is unusual, however, insofar as the Buddha's left hand uses the middle
finger of the left hand to point to the wheel made by the thumb and forefinger
formed by the right hand. A careful study of this gesture in India shows
that any of the four fingers of the left hand may be used: the most common
is the forefinger, the second most common is the little finger, the middle
and ring fingers rarely occur. It is probable that there is some reference
to differenct levels or periods of teachings by this variation.
Stylistic Comments: This image, again, shows the mask-like features
discussed in the texts that articulate the perfection of a Buddha. The
full lips heavy eyelids are also said to be characteristic of the Gupta
style.
