絲路 與 石窟
SilkRoad and Grottoes
Buddist & Culture


Images shown on this page reflected a series of stone carving representational art performed by Buddist artist to illustrate key events of the Buddha. These works came from ancient Gandhara area which became one of the 2 origins of Buddhist stone carving art. Pictures are ordered from left to right, top to bottom.
The first picture illustrated a story about Queen Maya of Sakya who had a dream of having a white elephant going in to her body. In the next day she found out that she was pragnent. This stone carving work came from 2nd century Gandhara and is now kept at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In the second picture Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who was the son of Queen Maya, sat under a tree in meditation, he was still wearing the crown of prince. On his sides were devotees and elephant. This picture illustrated Prince Siddhartha Gautama's effort to search for enlightenment. The stone carving was a 5th century work from northern Afghanistan where ancient Gandhara were next to. It's now being kept at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The third picture illustrated the scene of Buddha's first sermon to his first 5 disciples. The wheel represented the passing-on of Buddism philisophy. The stone carving was a 2nd century work from Gandhara and is now kept at the etropolitan Museum of Art.
The fourth picture illustrated Buddha's Parinirvana. Surrounding to Buddha were his disciples. This piece of stone carving work again came from Gandhara dated some time in between the 2nd to 4th century AD. It's now kept at the etropolitan Museum of Art.
After his Parinirvana, his followers formed the Sangha which was a monastic order for spreading the philosophy of Buddha as a religion. In the early days after Buddhism was formed, showing Buddha in the form of a statue or painting was prohibited. Buddhist artist used big foot print instead to represent Buddha. The Big Foot Print showed in the fifth picture was a 1st century Gandhara stone carving work.


