Around this time, we also find images from the Jataka tales depicting stories of Buddha’s previous lives, such as an animal or plant. These appear alongside scenes of his final life, such as his taking birth from the side of his mother, taking steps soon after birth, riding a horse out of his palace, witnessing death and decay, eating food from Sujata’s hands and giving a sermon at the Deer Grove, many events from his life and finally the scene of his death. 

In the third phase, we see Buddha increasing in size, dramatically. These are found along the Silk Road. There are also images of Buddhist figures with multiple heads and multiple hands. These are the saviours or Bodhisattvas. Different kinds of Buddhas are described. Some emerge from lotus flowers, some hold a lotus in the hand, some hold a Vajra. Doorkeepers such as Vajrapani holding a thunderbolt and Padmapani holding a lotus are depicted, and yakshas and yakshis are shown adoring him. This is part of Mahayana Buddhism, where the belief is that there are many Buddhas in the universe. Focus is less on following the path of the Buddha and more on adoring him and seeking his help. This third phase becomes extremely popular in China and Japan.

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In the fourth phase of Buddhist art, Buddha is holding  a bell in the hand along with a thunderbolt. He is also shown in sexual positions. Here, Buddha sometimes has a fierce visage or has a woman on his side or on his lap. He is, sometimes, even copulating. These are tantric images from the Vajrayana Buddhist schools. They thrived in the Himalayan regions, from Bhutan to Nepal, from Ladakh to Tibet. Tantra art shows multiple Budddhas in hierarchical positions. This indicates how Buddhism starts becoming part of political discourses, revealing different hierarchies. Thus, we see a great transformation on Buddhist art in its long history.

The author writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt.pattanaik@mid-day.com