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South Gate of Stupa
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no. 1 at Sanchi,
Buddha Bodhisatta Jataka
Madhya Pradesh
high-definition creative
commons photographs from
the South Gate of Stupa no. 1
at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh,
together with descriptions and
some further information.
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01 Front View of South Gate
02 Close
01 Front Viewup
ofof GateGate
South
03 Stairway with
02 Close up South gate in
of Gate
background
03 Stairway with South gate in
04 South background
Gate against the Sky
05South
04 Back Gate
View against
of Souththe
Gate
Sky
05 Back View of South Gate
06 Gate and Railing
06 Gate and Railing
07 Gate and Stairs to Upper Floor
08 Gate
07 Viewand
of South
Stairsand West Gates
to Upper Floor
Panoramas
South Gate at
Stupa no 1,
Sanchi, India
South Gate Outer
by Photo Dharma
08 View of South and West Gates
you can control the movement through the
panorama with your mouse
Gate from the Front
This gateway is one of the two which were
reconstructed by Major Cole in 1882-83.
The whole of the right jamb and half of the
left are new, as well as the west end of the
lowest architrave, the east end of the middle
architrave, and the six vertical uprights
between the architraves. When the gateway
was restored, the top and the lowest lintels
appear to have been reversed by mistake,
since the more important sculptures on them
now face the stūpa instead of facing
outwards. [1]
09 Floral Pattern and Men on Horses
[1]
[1]
10 The Birth at Lumbini
Top Architrave – The birth scene of the
Buddha. In the centre, the figure of Māyā
standing on Pattern
09 Floral a full and
blownMenlotus, with an
on Horses
elephant to right and left pouring water over
her head. The rest of the lintel is occupied
with flowing lotus leaves and blossoms
among which birds are perched.
10 The Birth at Lumbini
11 Men on Horses and Floral Pattern
12 Unidentified
11 Men on Horses and Floral Pattern
13 King Asoka visits Ramagrama
Middle Architrave – The visit of the
Emperor Aśoka to the stūpa at Rāmagrāma.
The relics of12theUnidentified
Buddha were originally
divided into eight portions, and it is related
that Aśoka took seven of these portions,
divided them up, and distributed them
among 84,000 stūpas, which he himself
erected. He failed only to secure the relics
of Rāmagrāma in the Nepal Tarai, in face of
13 King Asoka visits Ramagrama
the resolute opposition of their devoted
guardians, the Nāgas.
Here, in the centre of the architrave, is
depicted a stūpa, with an inscription on its
dome recording that the architrave was the
gift of one Balamitra, pupil of Aya-chuda
(Ārya-Kṣudra), the preacher of the Law.
Above the stūpa are heavenly figures
bearing garlands in their hands. To the right
of it is the Emperor Aśoka approaching in
his chariot, accompanied by a retinue of
elephants, horsemen and footmen; and to
the left, the Nāga and Nāgis, in human form
with serpent hoods, worshipping at the
stops, bringing offerings, or emerging from
the waters of a lotus-pond.
On the projecting end of this architrave (left
side) is an elephant in a lotus-pond with
mahaut and females on its back, and a
second female scrambling up behind; in the
background, a pavilion with female figures
looking out. To what particular incident this
relief refers, is not known.
14 Carving is Lost
14 Carving is Lost
15 Worshipping and Men on Horses
16 Kichakas with Garlands
Lowest Architrave – Dwarf-like figures,
known as kīchakas, are holding garlands in
15 Worshipping and Men on Horses
their hands and ‘spouting forth all summer'
from their mouths. On the right end of the
architrave is a decorative peacock with
rocks and creepers in the background.
16 Kichakas with Garlands
17 Maya on Lotus, Couple on Horse,
and Peacock
17 Maya on Lotus, Couple on Horse,
and Peacock
18 Lions uphold the Pillar
18 Lions uphold the Pillar
19 Dharmacakra at Rsiptana
Left Pillar: Front Face: Top Panel – A
Perspolitan column, rising from a stepped
base and supporting a wheel with thirty-two
spokes and an equal number of triratna
devices on its outer rim. This is the dharma-
chakra or "Wheel of the Law," the emblem
of Buddha's first sermon. On either side of
the wheel are celestial figures with
garlands; below them are four groups of
19 Dharmacakra at Rsiptana
worshippers, and below the latter, deer, to
indicate the spot where the first sermon was
preached, namely, in the "Deer Park"
(Migra-dāva) near Benares.
20 Emperor Asoka
Front Face: Second Panel – The Emperor
Aśoka in his chariot with his retinue around.
20 Emperor Asoka
21 King on Elephant
Gate from the Back
22 Stupas and Bodhi Trees
representing
21 Kingthe
on Seven Buddhas
Elephant
Top Architrave – In the central section are
three stūpas alternating with four trees with
thrones in front of them, adored by figures
both human and divine. These represent the
six Buddhas of the past and Gautama
Buddha – three symbolised by their stūpas,
and, four by the trees under which each
respectively attained
22 Stupas enlightenment.
and Bodhi Trees The
tree on the extreme right is the pipal tree of
representing the Seven Buddhas
Gautama Buddha and the one next to it is
the banyan tree of Kāśyapa Buddha. The
identification of the others is less certain.
The inscription on the dome of the central
stūpa, reads as follows :– rāño Siri
Sātakaṇisa āvesaṇisa Vāsiṣṭhīputasa Āna?
dasa dāna?; translation: Gift of Ānanda, the
son of Vāsiṭhi, (Vāsiṣṭhi), the foreman of
the artisans (āvesaṇin) of rājan Siri
Sātakaṇi.
On each of the projecting ends of this lintel
is a horse with attendants and royal
umbrella, issuing from a city gate. Possibly
it is Kaṇṭhaka, the horse of Gautama, when
he was going forth from the city of
Kapilavastu.
23 Riding a Canopied Horse
23 Riding a Canopied Horse
24 Men on Bulls
24 Men on Bulls
25 Men on Bulls
