Description

Antique Indian gilt copper repouse plaque depicting many scenes from the life of Buddha. Starting just before his birth (upper left hand side) with the white elephant that descends from heaven with the buddha and enters Maya between her ribs as she sleeps. Moving to the upper left corner, we see the miraculous birth of Maya’s fully formed baby out of her side. She is depicted holding onto a tree branch during birth like a yakshi tree spirit. Her baby boy walks at birth and out of each step springs a lotus blossom. Maya is of the royal family and the right side of the plaque depicts her son, Prince Siddhartha of the Gautama Family growing up in the shelter and comfort of the royal palace compound. She dies shortly after child birth. Prince Siddhartha continues his life in the shelter of his royal family. He marries at 16 and has a son. Eventually, he ventures outside of the palace where he sees age, sickness, and death. Realizing that the only way he can overcome these thing is to reach enlightenment, Siddhartha escapes by jumping over the wall of the palace on the back of a white horse with a groom still holding onto the horses tail. (Renunciation – lower right hand corner). Siddhartha cuts his hair and becomes an ascetic. For 6 years he studies and meditates, punishing his body with starvation. He realizes this is not the right way and begins to take better care of himself so that he may continue his quest for enlightenment. A famous scene is when Siddhartha is tempted by the forces of the demon, Mara while he is meditating under the Bodhi Tree. Mara sends worldly pleasures to tempt Siddhartha, then his army of demons when this doesn’t work. But Siddhartha is so near enlightenment, he dispels Mara and his minions by simply touching the ground. After overcoming the temptations, his enlightenment is complete and Siddhartha becomes the Buddha Sakyamuni. He continues to wander and teach others for 40 years. (Left side of the plaque). Finally, he dies and ascends to heaven (Parinirvana) and his disciples and many animals surround his body to mourn his passing. In the center of the plaque, we see the Buddha seated on a lotus throne surrounded by celestial beings.

Age: 19th century

Dimensions: 13 7/8″ high x 11 1/2″ wide