Introduction
During the six months it was my privilege to work in the galleries of the Lahore Museum, I overheard, all unseen, many strange designations applied to those sculptures which are, at once, the pride of the Punjab and the envy of European collectors. Some, not a little scornful, denominated them 'a lot of old stones, and yet I venture to-night, without apology, to direct your attention to some of these same old stones for. if we are ready to believe with Pope that the proper study of mankind is man, then man's handiwork as the outward expression of his mental activities and artistic longings is surely worthy of our consideration. Moreover, the very fact that these sculptures are old increases their claim to our appreciation and makes a further appeal to that obscure, but very real interest which the love of the past has for most of us, an appeal not only to our curiosity but also to our intellect and even our affections. On the artistic merit of these sculptures or the technical skill of their unknown artists I may not dwell tonight, but must limit myself to a consideration of their significance in the illustration of Buddhist belief and practice in the early days of our era, when Buddhism flourished on the North-West Frontier of India. These sculptures, sometimes designated Gandhara sculptures but more correctly, perhaps, Graeco-Buddhist, emanate almost without exception from what is today, the district of Peshawar, a region whose ancient name was Gandhara, a name familiar to many of my audience as the birthplace of the princess Gandhari, the mother of the Kauravas. We know from the records of pious pilgrims that as late as the 7th century, Buddhism still lingered in this region, but the reliefs in question undoubtedly belong to a considerably earlier period, though their exact date still remains undetermined. Religious piety has in all ages impelled its votaries to dedicate to shrines and temples memorials of all kinds likely to advance their own religious merit or strengthen the faith of others. That which in Europe appeared as frescoes and sculptures probably took in Gandhara similar forms of which, however, only the more durable, that is, the bas-reliefs, these pictures in stone, now remain.
About The Book
The Buddha Story in Stone is a remarkable work that explores the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha as depicted through ancient Indian sculpture and temple carvings. The book focuses on how early Buddhist artists narrated the story of the Buddha through stone reliefs found in monuments such as stupas, railings, and temple walls. Instead of written narratives. these visual representations illustrate important episodes from the Buddha's life-his birth at Lumbini, the Great Renunciation, enlightenment Bodh Gaya, the first sermon at Sarnath, and the Mahaparinirvana. At The book also explains the symbolic language used in early Buddhist art, where the Buddha was often represented through symbols such as the Bodhi tree, an empty throne, footprints, or the Dharma wheel rather than human form. Through detailed interpretation of these sculptures, the work reveals how art served as a powerful medium for spreading Buddhist philosophy and spiritual ideals in ancient India. It is valuable for students of art, history, religion. and archaeology.
Art (292)
Biography (234)
Buddha (1977)
Children (98)
Deities (48)
Healing (34)
Hinduism (56)
History (551)
Language & Literature (468)
Mahayana (415)
Mythology (92)
Philosophy (465)
Sacred Sites (118)
Tantric Buddhism (90)
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