VedicPeriod

AryansmigratedfromtheW(CaspainandBlackSea)intoNWpartof
India(aroundthebanksoftheIndusanditstributaries)
Oraltraditionandsacrificialrituals,somadrink
Containsprays,melodies,formulasandincantations
Castesystem(ahierarchicalorderclassifiedbyprofessions):Brahmin
(priests),Kstriya(Kings),Visya(Merchants)andSudra
(Untouchables)
Vedicmeansknowledgedatedbetween1200400BCE.
RgvedaVedaofVersesistheoldest
SamavedaVedaofMelodies
YajurvedaVedaofRitualFormulas
Atharvaveda(nameafterarsis)

VedicGods
Devas(godsordivinepowers),Asuras(demons)
33innumbers
Dividedinto3classes:celestial,atmospheric,and
terrestrials(sky,atmosphereorearth)
Surya(SunGod)
Indra(ThunderGod)Thehighest
Agni(GodofFire)
Vishnu

BuddhistArchitecture
KingAsoka
SanchiStupa
BhajaCave
KaliCave

KingAsokaofMauryaperiod
Mauryaca.322185BCE(theGreeksheldthepowerinthe
GandhararegionuntilthedeathofAlexanderthegreatin323)
KingAsoka272231BCE;solidifiedtheNandCentralIndia
regionbyabloodycampaignsandlaterconvertedto
Buddhism.
PillarsofLaw(Dharmasthambani)withinscriptionof
propagandaandBuddhistteachings
AsokascolumnatSarnathsiteassociatedwiththeFirst
Sermon;addorsedlionssymbolizingthespreadingofthe
Buddhasteachings.LionrepresentsSakyamunisclan.
wheel(cakra)symbolizestheturningofthewheeloflaw;
animals(elephant,bull,horse,andlion)

3.4LioncapitalofKingAsoka;Polishedsandstone,Sarnath

BullcapitalfromRampurva,c.250BCE

GreatStupa,Sanchi,c.250BCE;enlargedandrenovatedc.5025BCE

Stupas

Stupaisasolidmemorialmound,enshriningareliccasketcontainingthe
crematedremainsoftheBuddha,orveneratedBuddhistteachers.
Practitionerscircumambulatethreetimesaroundthestupa
SanchiStupaI(alsoknownastheGreatStupa),dated1stBCE;builtofbricks
andrubblesinasemicircularshape,symbolizingtheWorldAxis(19.8meter)
Toranas(Gates)decoratedwithreliefsdepictingscenesfromtheLifeofthe
BuddhaandHispastlives(jatakas)(35feet);capitaldecoratedwithlion(S),
elephant(NandE)anddwarf(W)
Railing(vadika)separatesthesacredandtheprofaneworlds;imitatedwooden
architecture(3.35m.high)
Chattra(umbrella)symbolizestheBuddha,Dharma(teachings)andSangha
(followers)

Note:nodepictedoftheBuddhainHumanform;usedsymbolssuch
asfootprint,emptythrone,lotuspedestal

SanchiStupaI
Asokaperiod
Stupaisarelicmound;planisswastikashape
Toranas:twouprightpillars(Slion;NandEelephant:
Wdwarf
Jatakas:Buddhapastlives;550animalsandhumanlives
Note:noimagesoftheBuddhawasdepicted;useonly
symbolssuchasfootprint,lotusflower,anemptythrone.

Easterntorana

Yakshinis
Femalefigures(Yakshinis;maleiscalled
yakshas)onthebracketssymbolizestree
goddesses;preBuddhistspiritsassociate
withthegenerativeorproductiveforcesof
nature,water,andstrengthoftheinner
breath.

Yakshibracketfigurefromtheeastgate,60

Northerngate

 Detailofbracketontheeasternngate

 Detailofbracketoftheeasterngate

Detailofbracketontheeasterngate

ChaitayaandVihara

Stupaforcircumambulation
Chaitayaisacongregationhall
Viharaisaresidentialhall
BhajaCave,Shungaperiod,c.1stcenturyBCE
KarliCave,c.Early2ndcenturyCE
AjantaCaves(462500)duringthereignofKingHinduKing
HarishenaoftheVakatakaperiod

Rockcutcaves
Muralpainting:moistcoatoflimeoverlayersofclay,cow
dung,andotherelements

3.8ChaityaatRomasRishiCaveandBhajaCave,LateShunga,c.1stBCE

3.910ChaityaHallarKarli,Early2ndcenturyCE

3.9KarliCave,Early2ndCE

Kushan(30320CEandLater
Andhra(1stCE320CE)
Kushana:werenomadicCaucasiansfromCentral
Asia;KingKanishka(early2ndC)extendedthe
empire;Buddhistarthascombinationsof
Hellenistic,PersiansandMaurayastyles.
Buddhistartwereproducedin2majorstyles:
Gandhara(influencedbyHellenisticstyle)and
Mathura(indigenousIndian)

Buddhaimages
Hands(mudras):meditation(Dhyanamudra),First
Sermon(dharmacakramudra),Earthtouching
handgesture(bhumisparsamudra)
Legs(asana):foldedoneontopoftheother
Positions:sitting,standingandreclining
Urna:tuftofhairbetweentheeyebrows
Usnisa:signofgreatman(32major
characteristicsand80minorcharacteristics)

3.12KanishkaI,KushanaPeriod,c.120CE(1.62m)

3.11SeatedBuddha,Gandhara,2ndcenturyCE.Schist

FirstSermon

3.14BamiyanBuddha,Afganistan,2nd5thcenturyCE,destroyedin2001

Bodhisattvas
Buddhatobewhoremainonearthtohelpallofthe
beingsintoparadise(thosewhohavebodhi,wisdomor
enlightenment,alsoknownasbuddhasinthemaking
Wearjewelryandholdsattributes
MaitreyaBodhisattva(FutureBuddha)
AvalokistesvaraBodhisattva(Bodhisattvaof
Compassion);heresidedintheWesternparadiseof
BuddhaAmitabha(Buddhaofinfinitelight,spaceand
time)
ReaddetailinOReileypage66

 MaitreyaBuddha,Gandhara,1st2nd

3.13BodhisattvaPadmapani,Cave1,Ajantac.late5thCE