Ajanta Paintings on Buddha’s Life

Subjects of Phase II Painting

• Based on Buddha’s Life • Birth of Budhha (Cave 2)
• Maravijaya (Cave 1) • Seven Steps of baby Buddha
(Cave 2)
• Miracle at Sravasti (Cave 1)
• Scenes from early life of Buddha
• Scenes from early phase of (Cave 2)
Buddha’s life (Cave 2)
• Preaching of Buddha (Cave 2)
• Buddha’s visit to Tushita Heaven
(Cave 2) • Taming of Nalagiri or Miracle at
Rajagraha (Cave 17)
• Mayadevi’s dream (Cave 2)
• Court of King Shuddhodana
(Cave 2)
• Nanda’s conversion (Cave 1 & 16)
• Mayadevi beside a pillar (Cave 2)
Ajanta Cave 1, interior,
The scene of Mara’s assault on Gautama. Here are the amourous
attempts by his daughters to captivate and cause hinderance in
the path of Enlightenment
Row of Buddhas
Ajanta Cave 2 on the rear wall Budhha in different postures unlike the conventional depictions, these are
lively portrayals. Seated on lotuses, variety designs of the bolsters behind them
Buddha in
Tushita Heaven,
before his 24th
birth in earth
Surrounded by
other deities as
he makes the
decision to
descend to
earth and to be
born to Queen
Mayadevi
Conventional depiction of Buddha
lack of artistic
However, rare representation as
looks directly to the viewer
Birth of Buddha
Ajanta Cave 2

Scenes from Budhha’s life

A. Buddha’s visit to Tushita
Heaven
B. Mayadevi’s dream
C. Court of King Shuddhodana
D. Mayadevi beside a pillar
E. Birth of Budhha
F. Seven Steps of baby Budhha
 Panel of Mayadevi’s dream
Queen had a dream in which a white elephant went around her couch
three time, struck her on the right side and entered her womb.
A immaculate conception
Royal astrologer, Asita
analyzing Mayadevi’s dream
Predicting that the Siddharta
would either be a Ruler of the
World or renounce his courtly
life –an ascetic to show the
riteous path to the people
Thoughtful Mayadevi after hearing
the meaning of her dream
Slender and profusely bejeweled,
gracefully standing against a pillar.
One of most charming of Ajanta
paintings

A dwarf attendant standing beside

looks up
1.01 x 72 cm
Birth of
Buddha at
Lumbini
forest
Mahamaya standing
under a sal tree, (as
legend goes) holding
a branch as Goutama
was born in 567 BCE
He emmerged from
right
Various gods and
goddesses (Maha
Brahmas) appeared
to hold the baby
Rain poured to
cleanse the newborn
The newborn took
seven steps to north
– the subject of the
next panel
First Phase of Buddha’s Life in Cave 16
A. Rishi Asita seeing the newborn
B. Budhha’s education
C. Problem of Shuddhodona
D. Leaving palace
E. Sujata
F. Tripushya and Vallika
G. Letting down Bimbisara’s invitation
Ajanta Cave 1, interior, The scene
of Mara’s assault on Gautama. Here
are the amourous attempts by his
daughters to captivate and cause
hinderance in the path of
Enlightenment.
Buddha preaching (Cave 17)
Miracle at Sravasti

Mahapratiharya or the Buddha’s Great Miracle at

Shravasti (Cave 1, Shrine antechamber, right wall)
Ajanta Cave 2
A representation of the
Miracle of Shravasti,
painted on the right wall of
the antechamber of the
main shrine.

Against the sceptics

manifested himself in
thousand different forms
Conventional repetation of
the fig of Budhha.

They show a waning of

the inspiration that was
evident in the works of the
earlier artists.
There were six ascetics, who
misled the followers of the Buddha
when he preached about the path
to salvation. They wanted to
challenge the Buddha’s spiritual
power in a contest of sorts. They
even sought King Bimbisara’s
endorsement, which was not
given. But King Prasenajit thought
otherwise and requested the
Buddha to participate in this event.
Initially, the Buddha stated that he had not
taught superhuman feats to his disciples,
but simply instructed them to fight against
evil. But finally, he agreed to participate. He
performed the Great Miracle of Shravasti,
since performance of a miracle was a
precondition to achieving the state of
nirvana (beatitude attained by extinction of
individuality and desires, with release from
effects of karma).

King Prasenajit arranged the event in a

place between the city of Shravasti and the
Jetavana monastery. The king, his
advisers, the ascetics, their disciples, and
many spectators assembled at the site.
However, all these acts could be learnt and
performed by any of the Buddha’s disciples,
so was felt by the erudite gathered in the
hall. So, the king requested the Buddha to
perform Mahapratiharya (Great Miracle).
Then, on the Buddha’s call, Gods Brahma
and Indra appeared from heaven and sat
on the Buddha’s right and left, respectively.
The Naga kings, Nanda and Upananda,
offered him a lotus decorated with pure
gold. The Buddha sat cross-legged in the
lotus, set his body, focused his mind and
made another Buddha appear above the
lotus and all four sides. This multiplicity of
images rose to the visible heavens.
These Buddha forms appeared in different
positions and some even entered fires and
produced miraculous manifestations with
sentences of the doctrine. He made all the
appearances required by the monks, and only
then, took his seat. Finally, it was the turn of
the ascetics, but no one had the courage to
rise to the occasion. The ascetics’ pavilions
were hit by a thunderstorm fashioned by the
commander of the army of yakshas (a class of
semi-divine beings whose master is Kubera,
the God of Wealth). The most important
ascetic, Purana, drowned himself in a pond.
The episode ended with the Buddha
preaching a sermon, directing his people
towards salvation.
Different mudra in each Buddha while all are monotonously
depicted
Taming of Nalagiri or Miracle at Rajagraha
Ajanta Cave 17 porch
towards the right Miracle at
Rajagra
Devdutta, Buddha’s cousin
plotted along with Ajatsatru,
a believer of Brahmanism
At Rajagraha an intoxicated
elephant, Nalagiri was set
free to kill Buddha. Nalagiri
was ultimately overcome by
Buddha
Buddha gently stroked him,
Nalagiri knelt down in
obeisance
Ajanta Cave 17
The maddened
elephant Nalagiri
Ajanta Cave 17
charging through the
streets of Rajagraha.
People scattering and
shopkeeper are seen
closing their doors
while other citizens
gather on their
balconies in astate of
fear as they watch the
chaos below.
Ajanta Cave 17
Taming of Nalagiri
Veranda
In the first part of the
narrative Devadutta is seen
conspiring with King
Ajatashatru of Rajagraha,
depicted in the upper part of
a bvalcony. Below them are
people in the palace who are
visibly disturnbed, having
heard of the evil plans
hatched
Notice the beautiful apsara in
the lower right chamber
Ajanta Cave 17
Citizens witness the
miracle
Budhha with his one
of the main disciples