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The Presentation of the Four Bowls
The Presentation of the Four Bowls

The Presentation of the Four Bowls

Date2nd century
MediumGray schist
DimensionsOVERALL: 7 7/8 × 15 15/16 × 2 9/16 in. (20 × 40.5 × 6.5 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineBequest of John Ringling, 1936
Object numberSN5401
Shortly after the Buddha achieved enlightenment, heavenly guardians wearing elaborate turbans offered him gold bowls, but he declined. Instead, as befitting his renunciation of worldly goods, he accepted a plain stone bowl. The left-most portion of this fragment, separated by a Hellenistic column, a common device to separate events in Gandharan narrative scenes, depicts yet another scene from the life of the Buddha. It is probable that the damaged right side would have depicted additional attendants with offerings, while the headless bodies above are deities observing the event.
On View
On view
Location
  • Center for Asian Art, 2nd floor, Galleria