Can you please help me identify these scenes?

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Caldorian
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 9:22 am
Location: Germany

Can you please help me identify these scenes?

Post by Caldorian »

Recently, I purchased a beautiful hammered copper picture that depicts the life of the Buddha on the border:

Image

I am a bit uncertain about some of these scenes/episodes, however, and need your help to identify them. I numbered the scenes for easier reference:

Image

Here the ones that I recognize:
1) Queen Maya's white elephant dream
2) Prince Siddhattha's birth
3) Siddhattha proves his prowess with the bow in order to win Yasodhara (?)
4) Yasodhara's and Siddhattha's wedding
5) The prince and Channa observe the four sights
6) Siddhattha leaves the palace amidst the dancers
7) Siddhattha cuts his hair
8) ??? Is this the shepherd boy who saved the Bodhisatta's life by giving him goat's milk? Or is this Sujata offering the rice porridge?
9) The Bodhisatta meditates (under the Bodhi tree?)
10) ???
11) The Buddha beats Mara and his army
12) Brahma Sahampati convinces the Buddha to teach (?)
13) The Buddha sets the Wheel of Dhamma in motion
14) ???
15) The Buddha enters into Parinibbana
16) The Buddha's stupa

I'm mostly unclear about 8, 10, and 14, and a bit unsure about 3 and 12. Maybe some of you have better recognition of these episodes?
In any case, I'm grateful for any help. Thank you in advance! :smile:
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Mkoll
Posts: 6594
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: USA

Re: Can you please help me identify these scenes?

Post by Mkoll »

I'm sorry I can't help you but thank you for sharing. It's very beautiful.

:anjali:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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pilgrim
Posts: 1679
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:56 pm

Re: Can you please help me identify these scenes?

Post by pilgrim »

I believe 10 is Sujata offering milk rice ( as the bodhisatta is depicted with his ribs showing), but it seems out of sequence .
8 could be the buffalo boy offering kusa grass to the bodhisatta for his seat.
12 . The 3 daughters of Mara tempt the bodhisatta
14. The Buddha descends to Sankisa after teaching the Abhidhamma in Tavatimsa heaven
Caldorian
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 9:22 am
Location: Germany

Re: Can you please help me identify these scenes?

Post by Caldorian »

Thank you very much, both of you! :)

Ah, 12 as Mara's daughters makes much more sense. I forgot that they came to the Buddha after his enlightenment.
Regarding 14, I had a weak suspicion that it might represent the Buddha's return from the Tavatimsa heaven but I wasn't sure at all.

Looks like 8-10 (especially 8) will remain unclear.
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