Seven Jewels and the Book of Worship
This Pala School stone relief illustrates the Seven Jewels (Saptaratna) and the Book of Worship, key symbols of both spiritual and temporal sovereignty in Buddhism. The panel includes the Wheel, Elephant, Horse, Jewel, Queen, Minister, and General, representing the perfections of a universal ruler (Chakravartin). Above, rows of seated Buddhas emphasize the continuity of enlightenment. […]
Inscription of Mahanavika Budhagupta
Inscription of Mahānāvika Buddhagupta, discovered in 1834 CE in Penang by Captain James Low, is a landmark record of India’s maritime and Buddhist outreach across Southeast Asia. Dating to the 5th–6th century CE, this stele bears a Saṃskṛta inscription in Old Javanese script a rare fusion of Indian language and Southeast Asian epigraphy. Detailing Buddhagupta’s […]
Relic Casket with Lid
The globular-shaped steatite relic casket with a flared rim and fitted lid exemplifies the refined craftsmanship and aesthetic sensibilities of the Mauryan period. Carved from fine grey steatite, its smooth surface and balanced form highlight the advanced lapidary skills of the time. This casket, part of the assemblage associated with the sacred relics of Śākyamuni […]
Relic Casket with Lid
This circular relic casket, carved from fine steatite and featuring a low domed lid with a pointed knob and a shallow recessed base, exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of the Mauryan period. Its smooth finish and balanced proportions reflect the artistic precision and devotion. Once enshrining sacred gems and jewels dedicated to Śākyamuni Buddha, the casket […]
Casket with fish-shaped Handle
The crystal relic casket with a fish-shaped handle, remarkable for its exquisite craftsmanship, is one of the five relic caskets discovered at Piprāhwā. Fashioned from transparent crystal, the casket radiates purity and sanctity, while its distinctive fish-shaped knob, filled with gold, adds a touch of splendour and symbolic depth. In Buddhist iconography, the fish is […]
Inscribed Relic Casket of Buddha
The relic casket, carved from steatite, once enshrined the sacred relics of Bhagwan Buddha, the Enlightened One. An inscription in early Brāhmī script adorns its surface, reading: “Sukiti-bhatinaṁ sabhagiṇikanaṁ sa-putadalanaṁ iyaṁ salila-nidhane Budhasa bhagavate sakiyanaṁ,” which translates as “This is a deposit of the relics of the Buddha, the august one, by the Śākyas, the […]
Seated Buddha in Bodhyanga mudra
The Seated Buddha from Gandhara is a remarkable example of Greco-Buddhist art. Carved from gray schist, it depicts the Buddha in the dharmachakra mudra (gesture of teaching). The figure combines Hellenistic naturalism—seen in the drapery folds and realistic body form—with Indian spiritual iconography. The serene expression, halo, and monastic robe exemplify Gandhara’s unique synthesis of […]