Photosynths of Early Buddhist Art

Note that these panoramas depict the subject in 3 dimensions. Viewing these panoramas requires Microsoft Silverlight; click 'ok' if you are asked to install Microsoft Silverlight.

Pre-CE art (Bharhut, Pauni, Bhaja)

Bharhut Plaque Depicting Pilgrims visiting a Stupa (Freer Galler, Smithsonian)

Bharhut Plaque 2, Depicting Visit to Sacred Buddhist Site (Freer Galler, Smithsonian)

Bharhut Stupa Elephants Carrying Buddhas Relics

Amaravati or Bharhut Stupa Panel

Bharhut Panel Depicting Buddhist Carving Of A Cave

Stupa Of Pauni Railing Pillar

Railing Pillar, Likely from Bharhut

Probable Bharhut Image

Panel Panorama with Apparent Scenes from Buddhas Life

Gandharan Panel of Buddha with Kalika

Bharhut Depiction of a Stupa

Gandharan Art

Early Gandharan Panel Fragments Showing Scenes from the Buddha's Life

Overall view of all panels, with zoom-in potential Please note that this is not seamlessly integrated, so the viewer is advised to use Photosynth's capacity to go to the "next" image, or (better) to use the Direct3D viewer, where one can move between 3D sections.

Submission Of Naga King Apalala

Naga Elapatra Visit 2

Miracle Of Savatti2

Mahaparinibbana

Buddha Receiving Grass From Grass Cutter

Palace the Night Before the Great Departure

Great Departure? (Thanissaro Bhikkhu has commented this may depict an earlier departure of the Buddha from the palace, such as when he saw the 4 sights)

Buddha Converts Ascetic Uruvela Kassapa

Buddha Calling On Earth Deva To Witness

Subduing of the Elephant

Buddha Uttering Dhammacakkapavatana Sutta

Buddha Requested by Devas to Teach

Division and Transport Of the Buddhas Relics

Devas Offering Of Bowls To the Buddha

Gandaharan Portrayal of Miracle of Savatthi

Gandharan depiction of Ananda Frightened In Vultures Peak Cave

Other Early Gandharan Statues

Gandharan 3rd Century head of the Buddha (Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian)

Gandaharan Meditating Buddha

Early Gandaharan Meditating Buddha

Detailed Gandharan Partial Stucco Buddha Statue

Gandharan Buddha Statue in Stucco with Gentle Mien

Gandharan Sitting Buddha (Kushana, 2nd Century CE)

Escape of Nanda into the Ordained Life

Other Gandharan Art

Buddha In Abhaya (Protection-Giving) Pose

Gandharan 3rd Century head of the Buddha (Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian)

Gandharan Plaque of the Buddha's Birth (Freer Gallery, Smithsonian)

Ganharan Plaque of Buddha's Awakening (Freer Gallery, Smithsonian)

Gandharan Plaque of Dhammacakka (Freer Gallery, Smithsonian)

Gandharan Plaque of Mahaparinibbana (Freer Gallery, Smithsonian)

Later Gandharan Devotee Couple

Gandharan Standing Buddha 1

Gandharan Standing Buddha 2

Gandharan panel of Buddha, Worshippers and the Bodhi Tree

Late Gandharan Stucco portrayal of Buddha (or possibly of a Bodhisattva)

Gandharan Maitreya Statue (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

External resources on Gandharan Art

Gandhara Buddha Photos Blog

Wikimedia Gandharan Art

San Francisco's Asian Art Museum

Wikipedia Entry on Greco-Buddhist art

Nagarjunakonda

Adoration Of Stupa Panel From Nagarjunakonda

Panel: Asitas Prediction Amaravati or Nagarjunakonda

Nagarjunakonda Stupa Panel of Buddhas Life Scenes

Slab from Nagarjunakonda Stupa (3rd-4th Century CE)

Nagarjunakonda Panel: Buddhas Life&Jataka Scenes

Amaravati

Amaravati, Panel showing the Buddha Preaching (Symbolic)

Amaravati Panel Buddha In Preaching Attitude

Amaravati Stupa Dome Slab (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Other Early Art

1st Century BCE Railing Cross Bar With Bodhi Tree Structure (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

1st Century Tympanum from Monastery (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

3rd Century Stupa Slab (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Slab from Wall of 2nd Century AD Stupa (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Slab from Wall of 2nd Century AD Stupa (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Kushan Buddha Head (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Kushan Buddha Statue (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Post-Gandharan Art from Mirpur Khas (Sindh, Pakistan)

Mirpur Khas Buddha Image

Mirpur Khas Buddha 1

Mirpur Khas Buddha 5

Buddhist Cave Art

Spectacularly Carved interior of Ajanta Cave 26 -- including Maha Parinibbana, but far more extensive

Early Cave Carving: Interior of Ajanta Cave 9 (1st Century BC)

Primary Chaityagriha at Bhaja Caves in India

Entryway to Primary Chaityagrha at Karla Caves

Main Chaityagrha in Karla Caves -- this is apparently the biggest stone-carved Buddhist Chaityagrha in India. It includes rafters over 2000 years old and intact wooden umbrella above the Stupa

Extensive Maha Parinibbana Carving in Ajanta Cave

Ajanta Cave 4 Statues, Carvings and Paintings

Ajanta Statue

Miscellaneous

10th to 11th Century Sculpture of MahaBodhi Temple (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Java 8th Century Head of the Buddha (Sackler Gallery)

Bronze or Gold Buddha Statue

Matha Kaur Shrine in Kusinara (Kushinagar)

MahaBodhi Central Shrine Area

Modern Bas-Relief Depiction of Buddha's Life at Maha-Bodhi Temple (Bodh Gaya)

Possible Early Depictions of Particular Important Sites in the Life of the Buddha

1st Century BCE Railing Cross Bar With Possible Depiction of Bodhi Tree Structure from Bodhgaya (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

10th to 11th Century Sculpture of MahaBodhi Temple (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Bharhut Plaque 2, Depicting Visit to Sacred Buddhist Site (Freer Galler, Smithsonian)

Bharhut Plaque Depicting Pilgrims visiting a Stupa (Freer Galler, Smithsonian)

Stupa Of Pauni Railing Pillar possibly showing the 4 most important sites

Probable Bharhut Image Showing Peaked Structure (note similarity to the structure depicted in Bharhut Plaque 2, Depicting Visit to Sacred Buddhist Site (Freer Galler, Smithsonian), as well as to this image from the Bharhut Stupa, which appears to depict Bodh Gaya

Railing Pillar, Likely from Bharhut, Showing Structure and Bodhi Tree and Seat with Naga (Bodh Gaya?)

Bharhut Depiction of a Stupa

Depiction of Jetavana from Bharhut (courtesy of Photodharma)

Depiction of Bodhi Tree (Bodh Gaya?) from Bharhut (courtesy of Photodharma)

Depiction of Dhammacakka (Sarnath, Isipatana?) from Bharhut (courtesy of Photodharma); note many peaks on pavilion, as in Probable Bharhut Image Showing Peaked Structure

Depiction of a Tree and Possible Stupa from Bharhut (courtesy of Photodharma)

Depiction of a Tree and Possible Seat from Bharhut and Asokan Elephant Pillar (Sankissa?) (courtesy of Photodharma)

Please consider signing the petition to Afghani President Hamid Karzai to stop the imminent destruction of the ancient Buddhist monastic site of Mes Aynak in Afghanistan, and its priceless cultural and historic treasures.

Visitors here may also be interested in my 3D panoramas from Indian Buddhist sites.

I have additional panoramas available. If you have particular interest, please write to me (osgood 'at' cs.usask.ca), and I can provide you access to the broader set.

Click here to go to my homepage, or here to go to my personal homepage.