Lord Buddha Delivering His First Sermon at Sarnath

Lord Buddha Delivering His First Sermon at Sarnath

Ajanta Caves, Gupta Period,3rd -5th Century CE

        In order to understand  Buddhist art it is essential to know the use of hastamudra ( hand gestures) in the images. Here the hands are interlocked;  the hands depict the Dharma Chakra ( the wheel of Law ).  The two seated deers, at the base, indicate the Deer Park at Sarnath--the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. The two lions symbolize both his royal lineage and the fact that henceforth Dharma shall "roar like a lion""---its message shall be carried everywhere.  It is looking at the iconography  (the image) that we know which episode of Buddha's life is being portrayed. 

         The images created during the Gupta Period had a great impact on subsequent Indian art. The images are simple, bereft of ornamentation,  elegantly proportionate, serene, inward looking, and full of harmony. This is considered the "classical" style of India. 

          These images were exported out of India both by our traders and by the Chinese scholars who visited our country during the ancient period. Such images can be found in Java and Cambodia.  Near the Indo-Afghan-China border there are 1000 caves carved by the Chinese. Interestingly the first set of caves are copies of the Ajanta Caves.  The last set of caves have Chinese figures, but Indian attire. With the spread of Buddhism, Indian art travelled throughout Asia.