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1. Sachin Kr. Tiwary
PREACHING BUDDHA
(SARNATH)
Dharma-chakra-pravartana Mudra
EXAMPLE OF THE GREAT SARNATH SCHOOL OF ART

2. Preaching
Buddha
Sarnath
Location
Sarnath,
Varanasi, UP
Period/Date
Gupta, 500
CE
Material
White Buff
Sand Stone
Condition
Partly
Damaged
Religion
Buddhism
Measurement
155x87x27
cms.
Preaching Buddha, Sarnath
Source of
Stone
Chunar, UP
Purpose
Propagation
of Dhamma

3. 1905 CE, During Mr. F.O.Oertel Excavation
2020 CE,
Displayed in the Sarnath Site Museum
Acc. No. 0340

4. Location-
• Sarnath is a place located 10 kms north-east
of Varanasi city near the confluence of the Ganges and
the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Nomenclature-
• Sarnath has been various name- Mrigadava, Migadāya,
Rishipattana, Sāranganāth and Isipatana,
• Mrigadava means “Deer-Park".
• Isipatana is the name used in the Pali Canon, and
means the place where ‘Holy men/Rishis landed/fall
down’.
• Hwen-tsang quotes the Nigrodhamiga Jātaka to account
for the origin of the Migadāya.
• According to Hwen-tsang, the Deer Park was a forest
given by the king of Varanasi of the Jātaka, where deer
might wander unmolested.

5. Nomenclature- 1905 CE, During Mr. F.O.Oertel Excavation
Mulagandhakuti temple
of Gupta Pd.
Lion Capital
Broken part of monolithic pillar with
Minor Rock Edict
Preaching
Buddha
Sarnath derives from
the
Sanskrit Sāranganātha,
which means "Lord of
the Deer", and relates
to another old Buddhist
story in which
the Bodhisattva is a
deer and offers his life
to a king instead of the
doe the latter is
planning to kill. The king
is so moved that he
creates the park as a
sanctuary for deer.
There is a temple of
Lord Shiva with the
same name.

6. Introduction-
• Image of preaching Buddha dated to Gupta
period.
• This image is remarkable example of the form of
compassionate one in its spirituality and inner-
bliss.
• The wheel (dharma-chakra) occupies the
central position on the pedestal.
• Figure of deer are placed on either side of wheel
denoting the place as deer park.
• The figures of five disciples to whom Buddha
preached first sermon are depicted along with a
lady and child on the lower part of the image.
http://www.sarnathmuseumasi.org/gallery/Gallery1%20Acc%20No%20340.html

7. 7
2
3
4
5
6
Flywhisk
(Chauri)
7
1. Sunica Kesa
2. Plain
3. Beaded row
4. Floral row
5. Beaded row
6. Elephant Nail Impression/Nail Impression
7. Gandharvas are flying on either sides with flower tray
on hands.
1

8. Chowry or fly whisk ('Chamer’) ?
• Chauri - A plume of yak tail hair in an elaborate holder - are the most frequently used
and depicted emblems of royalty.
Gandharva ?
• A Gandharva is one of the lowest-ranking Devas in Buddhist cosmology. They are classed among
the Cāturmahārājakāyika Devas, and are subject to the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Guardian of the East. Beings are
reborn among the Gandharvas as a consequence of having practiced the most basic form of ethics (Janavasabha
Sutta, DN.18).
• Gandharvas can fly through the air, and are known for their skill as musicians. They are connected with trees and
flowers, and are described as dwelling in the scents of bark, sap, and blossoms. They are among the beings of the
wilderness that might disturb a monk meditating alone.
• The terms gandharva and yakṣa sometimes refer to the same entity, In the case of Didarganj Yakshi you can see
her Chowry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandharva

9. 7
1. Decorative Halo
(प्रभामण्डल)
2. Plain
3. Beaded row
4. Floral row
5. Beaded and Reel row
6. Elephant Nail
Impression/Nail
Impression
7. Flying Gandharwa with
1
2
3
4
56
Flywhisk (Chauri)

10. What do halos symbolize?
• Halo, also called nimbus, in art, radiant circle or disk surrounding the head
of a holy person, a representation of spiritual character through
the symbolism of light. In all over the world an ancient image of god and
goddess are often appear with rays,
• It was started with the Kushana Period in India an in World Egypt 1300 BCE,
• Halos may be shown as almost any colour or combination of colours, but
are most often depicted as golden, yellow or white when representing light
or red when representing flames.
• It can e observe in any religions, sacred persons may be depicted with a
halo in the form of a circular glow, or flames in Asian Art, around the head
or around the whole body—this last one is often called a Mandoria.
https://www.shabdkosh.com/dictionary/english-hindi/nimbus/nimbus-meaning-in-hindi

11. 1. Sunica Kesa- Short Hair
2. Dakshinaa-varta-murdhaja- Coils turning
“valampuri”
3. Ushnisha- Attainment of Enlightenment
4. Urna- Between eyebrows
5. Elongated Earlobes, may be due to wearing
of heavy jewelry
6. Nashaagra
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
2
5

12. 1. Decorative Halo
2. Transparent cloth covering
both the shoulders,
3. Dharma-chakra-pravartana
Posture
4. Byala
5. Floral motif
6. Crossed leg/Padmasan Mudra
1
2
3
4
5
6
4

13. 1. Crocodile
2. Horne of
Rhinocerous
3. Trunk of an
Elephant
4. Ear of Horse (?)
5. Kamal/Lotus Naal
6. Parrot’s tongue
7. Floral motifs
8. Antler of Deer
9. Lion Face
10.Snake Hood
11.Horse Ear
12.Neck of horse
13.Wings of a bird
14.Along with Peacock
Tail
15.Body of the Lion
16.Tail of the Lion
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
9
17
11
12
1314
15
16
Byala/Vyal
Minutely observe the
demarcation typed over
the black and white pic
and observe the same
to the colour pic.

14. What is Byala ?-
Byala, like Manusiha (man-lion), Makara (crocodile of the Ganges), is a
mythical creature which embellishes religious sculptures & structures,
especially from Gupta period. It is regarded as a symbol bringing good luck &
auspiciousness. It is assumed that the term” Byala” is corrupted from “Lala”
through the intermediate terms “Vala & Bala”. Some scholars think that it is
the derivative of the Sanskrit word “Byal”, whose English rendering is a
mythical antelope. In the light of the Pali-English Dictionary written by Rhys
Davids and Willian Stede, Pali word “Vala” means “ a beast of prey.” Besides,
it connotes benevolence, faith, loving-kindness, peace, etc.
Mythical Creature-
As it is a mythical creature made out of nine bodily parts of nine animals
which are considered auspicious, it is called “Navarupa” in Pali. So far scholars
have not known from which source it originates. The practice of carving Byala
figures in religious sculpture & structures goes back to 400 CE and that the
practice survived even today.

15. Nine different bodily parts of 09 animals-
The nine different bodily parts of nine animals which make Byala are-
1) Tiger’s Canine,
2) Deer’s Eyes,
3) Parrot’s Tongue,
4) Elephant’s Trunk or
5) One Horn of Rhinoceros,
6) Horse’s Ear or
7) Elephant’s Ear,
8) Pea-cock’s Tail,
9) The Body of Toe
(Believed to inhabit the Himalaya).
Though all these nine animals are not depicted here in this image but many.

16. Symbolic Meaning of Each Animals-
1. Tiger’s canine can remove every poison. Tiger conveys the senses of bravery,
loyalty, repelling of dangers and being sensitive to aggression.
2. A dancing peacock connotes happiness and peace, a striking peacock military
affair and a resting peacock tranquility respectively. Peacock’s tail the symbol of
holy seats.
3. Deer’s eyes denote innocence, foreseeing of forth-coming dangers and freedom
from various forms of danger.
4. Parrot means quickness, politeness and good morality and parrot’s tongue
loveliness due to its ability to speak the human language.
5. Elephant’s ears imply cleverness, gentleness and easy comprehensibility. The
elephant trunk bears the sense of protecting dangers and the crest of dragon
the sense of protection from the bites of poisonous animals.
6. The one-horn of rhinoceros has the senses of bravery, staidness, forbidding
appearance, non-oppression.
7. Yak’s tail means sacredness and freedom from dangers, yak sacredness,
concentration, good-look, pleasant-voice, curiosity, etc and
8. The body of Toe conveys the senses of peace of mind, innocence, beauty and
elegance.

17. • The Five First Excellent Disciples- Kaundinya, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, Ashvajit,
• Female Figure- Here, the particularity of a lay female figure (Probably with a baby or
attendant) kneeling on the left suggests she may be a person of a historical time: a female
donor who commissioned this image.
• No inscription identifies a donor, but the woman, whose economically & socially privileged
identity is borne out by her jewelry and hairdo, is certainly not part of the narrative moment.
• Unless there was a female donor, it is unlikely that a woman would have been represented as
the utmost lay devotee in this superbly carved sculpture of preaching Buddha,
• Two Deers facing each other at the entre in between the disciples,
• Dharma Chakra at the center in profile.
Deer Deer
Dharma Chakra
in profile
Female
Child/Attendant
DiscipleDiscipleDiscipleDisciple Disciple
Pilaster
Pilaster

18. Thank You
Any Question ?