Provenance:
Collection of Richard and Ruth Dickes, acquired in 1981
In this elegant and serene stele, the central figure of Buddha is flanked by two cylindrical stupas and is seated atop a lotus pedestal that in turn rests upon a lion throne. The declarative summation of Sakyamuni's enacted wisdom on this earth, commonly known as the "Buddhist Creed," is inscribed around his flaming halo. Consecratory in nature, it is written on Pala sculptures to vivify them with the energy of the Dharma (Susan L. Huntington and John C. Huntington, Leaves from the Bodhi Tree, The Art of Pala India (8th-12th centuries) and Its International Legacy, Dayton Art Institute exhibition catalogue, 1990, p.124).
It translates to:
“All phenomena arise from causes;
Those causes have been explained by the Tathagatha,
And their cessation too has been taught by the Great Shramana."
Sculpture associated with the early part of the Pala Dynasty is characterized by a rounded stele, unembellished composition, and the development of uniquely Pala facial features. The fact that so many of the surviving images from Nalanda are of extremely high technical and aesthetic quality suggests the presence of well-established, professional artisans who were employed in the service of wealthy patrons and donors. Compare Huntington & Huntington, op. cit., no. 19, pp. 144 and 415, a stele of Sakyamuni from the Alsdorf Collection.
