A rare type of Bodhisattva-Images from Sanchi

Debala Mitra

A rare type of Bodhisattva-Images from Sanchi

Vol. 32 · No. 2 & 3June & September 1956pp. 286–289English

Summary

This art historical note describes an unusual class of Bodhisattva images discovered at the Sanchi stupa complex. The author details the iconography of these statues, which differ from standard depictions of Avalokiteśvara or Maitreya. The figures stand in a slightly flexed posture, wear princely ornaments and hold attributes that have not yet been definitively identified. Mitra compares the sculptural style with other regional centres and suggests a date in the early centuries CE. She explores possible identifications, proposing that the images might represent lesser‑known Bodhisattvas or personifications of virtues. The note emphasises the importance of such finds for understanding regional variations in Buddhist art and calls for further research into local workshops and iconographic programs.

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Conclusion

By documenting these rare Bodhisattva images, the article broadens our knowledge of the diversity of Buddhist iconography at Sanchi. It underscores the need for careful stylistic and iconographic analysis to identify lesser‑known figures and appreciates the creativity of local sculptors.

Key passages

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“Sir John Marshall, probably thinking the sculpture as the represen-tation of the male counterpart of Mahamayiri, also known as Vidya-rajii, tentatively identified ic with Mayiravidyaraja*.”
“The Sanchi sculptures agree in almost all che details with the above description of Vajradharma LokeSvara, except that the right hand is in varada® and is mot placed on the breast in the attitude of causing a lotus to blossom®.”

Works cited in this article

J. Marshall, Monuments of Sanchi, vol. I, p. 74.
B. Bhattacharyya, Indien Buddhist Iconography (Oxford, 1924)
Sadbanamaiz, ed. B. Bhattacharyya, (Gaekwad’s Oriencal Series, XXVI, Baroda, 1925), p. 33.
R. D. Banerji’s Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture.
T. Bloch’s Supplementary Catalogue of the Archaeological Collection of the Indian Museum, pp. 61-62.

Discussed in this article

People

Places

Texts & works

Sadbanamaiz
Sédbanamala
Monuments of Sanchi
Indian Buddbist Iconography
Indian Buddhist Tconography
Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture
Supplementary Catalogue of the Archaeological Collection of the Indian Museum

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In this issue

Vol. 32 · No. 2 & 3

109–114ForewordNarendra Nath Law 115–123The Master's Life in StoneRabis C. Kar 124–128Dates of Principal Events in the Buddha's LifePrabodh Chandra Sengupta 129–135The Buddha and LanguageFranklin Edgerton 136–138Phonetic Convergence in PaliMadhusudan Mallik 139–140Pali 'maraji': Sanskrit 'smarajic'Sukumar Sen 141–147The Buddhist Social IdealsB. G. Gokhale 148–162Buddhist Controversy over the Five PropositionsET. Lamotte 163–167Some Buddhist Thinkers of AndhraP. S. Sastri 168–169Harsa: A BuddhistDasharatha Sharma 170–178Some Buddhist Antiquities and Monuments of RajasthanRatna Chandra Agrawala 179–210Buddhism in the Classical AgeSudha Sengupta 211–222Buddhism in the Sunga PeriodKunja Govinda Goswami 223–248Place of Buddhism in Indian ThoughtNalinaksha Dutt 249–253Duhkha-SatyaW. Rahula 254–260Nirodha-SatyaAnanta Kumar Nyaya-Tarkatirtha 261–264PratityasamutpadaAnukul Chandra Banerjee 265–269Buddhist PsychologyBratindra Kumar Sengupta 270–285Brahman of Sankara and Sunyata of MadhyamikasAjit Ranjan Bhattacharya 286–289A rare type of Bodhisattva-Images from SanchiDebala MitraCurrent article 290–296Scientific Background of the Buddhist TantrasBiswanath Bhattacharya 297–303Buddhism in South-East AsiaRamesh Chandra Majumdar 304–312Principle of the King's RighteousnessU. N. Ghoshal 313–318Buddhism in Ancient KambujadesaB. N. Puri 319–323Harivarman's Theory of CognitionN. Aiyaswami Sastri 324–328Narayanpur Image of VinayakaTapo Nath Chakravarti 329–337Zen Buddhism and BodhidharmaW. Pachow 338–340Buddhist View re. Eternity of the VedasHeramba Chatterjee 341–351Pataliputra: Its Importance in the History of BuddhismBinayendranath Chaudhuri 352–353An early Buddha Statue from YunnanWalter Liebenthal 354–357A Note on the AryadharmadhatugarbhavivaranaSuniti Kumar Pathak

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