DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0405
ELURA. 383
The upper floor is the most striking among the Buddhist caves.
It is divided into five cross aisles by rows of eight pillars, which with
two in front of the shrine, are forty-two in all, perfectly plain square
columns (ses Plate LXV). In recesses at the ends of the aisles are large
figures of Buddhas seated on thrones, with their usual attendants.
At the south end of the back aisle the Buddha is on a sinhdscma with
the wheel in the middle, and lying in front two finely-cut deer, unfor-
tunately broken by some barbarian. Possibly this may be intended
as an allusion to Buddha's teaching in the Mrigadava or deer-park
at Bauaras—which seems to have been a favourite resort of his. In
the north end of the same aisle Buddha is represented in a squatting
attitude, his feet drawn up in front of him, and his hands in the
teaching mxidra. He sits on a throne with a lion in the centre, but,
instead of his usual attendants, on either side of him are (1) a squat-
ting Buddha with hands in his lap, in the act of ascetic meditation,
by which he attained Buddhahood ; (2) above this is Buddha soaring
to the heavens to preach his law to the gods; and (3) Buddha dying
or entering nirvana—everlasting, undisturbed, unconscious repose.
These are the great scenes in his life as a Teacher.
To the right of this figure, on a raised basement, along the back
wall, extending from the corner to the vestibule of the shrine are
seven large squat meditative Buddhas, all perfectly alike, except
that each has the foliage of a different Bodhi-tree represented over
his head springing from behind the nimbus or aureole. These are the
seven human or earth-born Buddhas, painted also in Cave XXII. at
Ajanta with the name below each, as Vipasya, Sikhi, Viswabhu,
krakuchchhanda, Kanaka Muni, Kasyapa, and Sakya Sifiha.
On the south side of the vestibule is a similar row of seven medi-
tating Buddhas,1 being perhaps the representations of the same
personages, only with umbrellas over their heads, as symbols of
dominion, instead of the Bodhi-treea.
•"•he vestibule of the shrine contains two tall dwdrpdlas with
•T°ssed arms and lofty headdresses; on each end wall are three female
ne Jnani or divine Buddhas are only five :—(i) Vairoehana, (2) Akshobhya,
AJ-R tl1a ,Sambhava> (4) Amitabha, and (5) Amogha Siddha—the mental creations of
u<Mha, an(j eacn 0£ w^om re8pectiVely produced a Bodhisattwa, viz. (1), Samanta
' ra> (2) Vajrapani, (3) Ratnapani, (4.) Padmapani, and (5) Viswapani. Had there
the eVC>l buddhas we might have supposed that this second group represented
The upper floor is the most striking among the Buddhist caves.
It is divided into five cross aisles by rows of eight pillars, which with
two in front of the shrine, are forty-two in all, perfectly plain square
columns (ses Plate LXV). In recesses at the ends of the aisles are large
figures of Buddhas seated on thrones, with their usual attendants.
At the south end of the back aisle the Buddha is on a sinhdscma with
the wheel in the middle, and lying in front two finely-cut deer, unfor-
tunately broken by some barbarian. Possibly this may be intended
as an allusion to Buddha's teaching in the Mrigadava or deer-park
at Bauaras—which seems to have been a favourite resort of his. In
the north end of the same aisle Buddha is represented in a squatting
attitude, his feet drawn up in front of him, and his hands in the
teaching mxidra. He sits on a throne with a lion in the centre, but,
instead of his usual attendants, on either side of him are (1) a squat-
ting Buddha with hands in his lap, in the act of ascetic meditation,
by which he attained Buddhahood ; (2) above this is Buddha soaring
to the heavens to preach his law to the gods; and (3) Buddha dying
or entering nirvana—everlasting, undisturbed, unconscious repose.
These are the great scenes in his life as a Teacher.
To the right of this figure, on a raised basement, along the back
wall, extending from the corner to the vestibule of the shrine are
seven large squat meditative Buddhas, all perfectly alike, except
that each has the foliage of a different Bodhi-tree represented over
his head springing from behind the nimbus or aureole. These are the
seven human or earth-born Buddhas, painted also in Cave XXII. at
Ajanta with the name below each, as Vipasya, Sikhi, Viswabhu,
krakuchchhanda, Kanaka Muni, Kasyapa, and Sakya Sifiha.
On the south side of the vestibule is a similar row of seven medi-
tating Buddhas,1 being perhaps the representations of the same
personages, only with umbrellas over their heads, as symbols of
dominion, instead of the Bodhi-treea.
•"•he vestibule of the shrine contains two tall dwdrpdlas with
•T°ssed arms and lofty headdresses; on each end wall are three female
ne Jnani or divine Buddhas are only five :—(i) Vairoehana, (2) Akshobhya,
AJ-R tl1a ,Sambhava> (4) Amitabha, and (5) Amogha Siddha—the mental creations of
u<Mha, an(j eacn 0£ w^om re8pectiVely produced a Bodhisattwa, viz. (1), Samanta
' ra> (2) Vajrapani, (3) Ratnapani, (4.) Padmapani, and (5) Viswapani. Had there
the eVC>l buddhas we might have supposed that this second group represented