DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9541#0121
98
BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE.
Book I.
and making love, and otherwise occupied, in a manner as unlike any-
thing we have hitherto heen accustomed to connect with Buddhism
as can well be imagined. Be this as it may, the sculptures of these
gateways form a perfect picture Bible of Buddhism as it existed in
India in the 1st century of the Christian Era, and as such are as
important historically as they are interesting artistically.1
The small tope (No. 3), on the same platform as the great tope
at Sanchi, was surrounded by a rail, which has now almost entirely
disappeared. It had, however, one toran, the pillars and one beam
of which are still standing. It is only about half the size of those
of the great tope, measuring about 17 ft. to the top of the upper
beam, and 18 ft. across its lower beam. It is apparently somewhat
more modern than the great gateways, and its sculptures seem to
have reference to the acts of Sariputra and Moggalana, whose relics,
as above mentioned, were deposited in its womb.
This tope was only 40 ft. in diameter, which is about the same
dimension as No. 2 Tope, containing the relics of the ten apostles
who took part in the third convocation under Asoka, and afterwards
in the diffusion of the Buddhist religion in the countries bordering on
India.
As above pointed out, the rails at Buddh Ciaya and Bharhut afford
a similar picture of Buddhism at a time from two to three centuries
earlier. At first sight the difference is not so striking as might be
expected, but on a closer examination it is only too evident that both
the art and the morals had degenerated during the interval. There is
a precision and a sharpness about the Bharhut sculptures which is
not found here, and drinking and love-making do not occur in the
earlier sculptures—they do, however, occur at Buddh Gaya—to any-
thing like the extent they do at Sanchi. There is no instance at
Bharhut of any figure entirely nude; at Sanchi nudity among the
females is rather the rule than the exception. The objects of worship
are nearly the same in both instances, but are better expressed in the
earlier than in the later examples. Till, however, the Bharhut
sculptures are published in the same detail as those of Sanchi, it is
hardly fair to insist too strongly on any comparison that may be
instituted between them. 1 believe I know nearly all, but till the
publication of General Cunningham's work tbe public will not have
the same advantage.
Before leaving these torans, it may be well to draw attention
again to the fact of their being, even more evidently than the rails,
so little removed from the wooden originals out of which they were
1 For details of these sculptures and
references, I must refer the reader to niv
work on 'Tree and Serpent Worship,'
where the}- arc all represented ami
described in great detail. Sculptures
do not, strictly speaking, belong to this
work, and, except for historical purposes,
are not generally alluded to.
BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE.
Book I.
and making love, and otherwise occupied, in a manner as unlike any-
thing we have hitherto heen accustomed to connect with Buddhism
as can well be imagined. Be this as it may, the sculptures of these
gateways form a perfect picture Bible of Buddhism as it existed in
India in the 1st century of the Christian Era, and as such are as
important historically as they are interesting artistically.1
The small tope (No. 3), on the same platform as the great tope
at Sanchi, was surrounded by a rail, which has now almost entirely
disappeared. It had, however, one toran, the pillars and one beam
of which are still standing. It is only about half the size of those
of the great tope, measuring about 17 ft. to the top of the upper
beam, and 18 ft. across its lower beam. It is apparently somewhat
more modern than the great gateways, and its sculptures seem to
have reference to the acts of Sariputra and Moggalana, whose relics,
as above mentioned, were deposited in its womb.
This tope was only 40 ft. in diameter, which is about the same
dimension as No. 2 Tope, containing the relics of the ten apostles
who took part in the third convocation under Asoka, and afterwards
in the diffusion of the Buddhist religion in the countries bordering on
India.
As above pointed out, the rails at Buddh Ciaya and Bharhut afford
a similar picture of Buddhism at a time from two to three centuries
earlier. At first sight the difference is not so striking as might be
expected, but on a closer examination it is only too evident that both
the art and the morals had degenerated during the interval. There is
a precision and a sharpness about the Bharhut sculptures which is
not found here, and drinking and love-making do not occur in the
earlier sculptures—they do, however, occur at Buddh Gaya—to any-
thing like the extent they do at Sanchi. There is no instance at
Bharhut of any figure entirely nude; at Sanchi nudity among the
females is rather the rule than the exception. The objects of worship
are nearly the same in both instances, but are better expressed in the
earlier than in the later examples. Till, however, the Bharhut
sculptures are published in the same detail as those of Sanchi, it is
hardly fair to insist too strongly on any comparison that may be
instituted between them. 1 believe I know nearly all, but till the
publication of General Cunningham's work tbe public will not have
the same advantage.
Before leaving these torans, it may be well to draw attention
again to the fact of their being, even more evidently than the rails,
so little removed from the wooden originals out of which they were
1 For details of these sculptures and
references, I must refer the reader to niv
work on 'Tree and Serpent Worship,'
where the}- arc all represented ami
described in great detail. Sculptures
do not, strictly speaking, belong to this
work, and, except for historical purposes,
are not generally alluded to.