The diversity of style and iconography in sculptures produced in mainland Southeast Asia from the 6th through 9th centuries reflects the many regional cultures then thriving in that part of the world. In general, two systems of classification are used to help define the regional styles found here: one relies on political terms such as "Dvaravati" and "pre-Angkor," while the more recent system groups by language and/or ethnic types such as Mon and Khmer. The iconography of this stone sculpture showing a Buddha standing on a lotus pedestal with two attendants above a mythical winged creature is one of the most distinctive and intriguing Mon contributions to Buddhist iconography. The Buddha on the relief is a classic Mon-style representation. He is attended by two figures: the figure to his left wears a short skirtlike garment and holds a lotus and another object in his hands, while the figure on the Buddha's right wears a skirt and a sacred thread and holds an unidentified attribute in one hand.
The discussion surrounding the precise meaning of sculptures such as this one center on the possible identification of these two attendant figures and the strange creature at the base. The two figures are generally identified either as bodhisattvas or as the Hindu gods Brahma and Indra. The latter identification assumes that both hands of the Buddha, missing in this example, would have been held in the gesture of teaching (vitarkamudra). In Buddhist art, this gesture is often used to symbolize the descent of Shakyamuni Buddha from the Trayastrimsha Heaven (Heaven of Thirty-three Gods), where he preached to his mother. Some texts suggest that these two Hindu gods accompanied the Buddha on his descent, and they appear in earlier Indian representations of the subject, so it has been assumed that if the central Buddha in these sculptures represents Shakyamuni descending from the Trayastrimsha Heaven, the two figures must be depictions of Brahma and Indra. However, the texts describing Shakyamuni's visit to the Trayastrimsha Heaven generally state that he descended from that paradise on a jeweled ladder, and a ladder or stair is often depicted in representations of this event. A ladder is noticeably absent from the iconography of this and similar works, making it difficult to confirm their identification.
Reliefs of this type are often called banaspati plaques after the name given to the winged and horned beings at their bases. This creature is sometimes associated with Garuda, a bird-man who functions as the vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu; such a conflation of Buddhist and Hindu iconography is not unusual in Southeast Asia. It has also been suggested that the banaspati creature represents a theriomorphic transformation of the Indian concept of the marvelous life-giving and life-sustaining lotus root, or padmamula, that is often used as a generative symbol in Buddhist art. The marvelous lotus root is sometimes associated with flying horned creatures and has also been associated with Garuda.
While it is not impossible that this being could have ultimately derived from the symbolism of the lotus root, this explanation of the banaspati does not help to determine the iconography of images such as this one. It seems likely that an understanding of this distinctive Mon type will not be possible until there is further research on the exact nature of early Buddhist practices and beliefs in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
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The diversity of style and iconography in sculptures produced in mainland Southeast Asia from the 6th through 9th centuries reflects the many regional cultures then thriving in that part of the world. In general, two systems of classification are used to help define the regional styles found here: one relies on political terms such as "Dvaravati" and "pre-Angkor," while the more recent system groups by language and/or ethnic types such as Mon and Khmer. The iconography of this stone sculpture showing a Buddha standing on a lotus pedestal with two attendants above a mythical winged creature is one of the most distinctive and intriguing Mon contributions to Buddhist iconography. The Buddha on the relief is a classic Mon-style representation. He is attended by two figures: the figure to his left wears a short skirtlike garment and holds a lotus and another object in his hands, while the figure on the Buddha's right wears a skirt and a sacred thread and holds an unidentified attribute in one hand.<P>The discussion surrounding the precise meaning of sculptures such as this one center on the possible identification of these two attendant figures and the strange creature at the base. The two figures are generally identified either as bodhisattvas or as the Hindu gods Brahma and Indra. The latter identification assumes that both hands of the Buddha, missing in this example, would have been held in the gesture of teaching (<I>vitarkamudra</I>). In Buddhist art, this gesture is often used to symbolize the descent of Shakyamuni Buddha from the Trayastrimsha Heaven (Heaven of Thirty-three Gods), where he preached to his mother. Some texts suggest that these two Hindu gods accompanied the Buddha on his descent, and they appear in earlier Indian representations of the subject, so it has been assumed that if the central Buddha in these sculptures represents Shakyamuni descending from the Trayastrimsha Heaven, the two figures must be depictions of Brahma and Indra. However, the texts describing Shakyamuni's visit to the Trayastrimsha Heaven generally state that he descended from that paradise on a jeweled ladder, and a ladder or stair is often depicted in representations of this event. A ladder is noticeably absent from the iconography of this and similar works, making it difficult to confirm their identification.</P><P>Reliefs of this type are often called banaspati plaques after the name given to the winged and horned beings at their bases. This creature is sometimes associated with Garuda, a bird-man who functions as the vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu; such a conflation of Buddhist and Hindu iconography is not unusual in Southeast Asia. It has also been suggested that the <I>banaspati</I> creature represents a theriomorphic transformation of the Indian concept of the marvelous life-giving and life-sustaining lotus root, or <I>padmamula</I>, that is often used as a generative symbol in Buddhist art. The marvelous lotus root is sometimes associated with flying horned creatures and has also been associated with Garuda.</P><P>While it is not impossible that this being could have ultimately derived from the symbolism of the lotus root, this explanation of the <I>banaspati</I> does not help to determine the iconography of images such as this one. It seems likely that an understanding of this distinctive Mon type will not be possible until there is further research on the exact nature of early Buddhist practices and beliefs in Thailand and Southeast Asia.</P>
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