Ellora Cave 10: Buddha Triad

INDIA, Maharashtra, Aurangabad

This Buddha triad is in front of the stupa, which is located at the rear of the main hall of Cave 10. The Buddha is 3.3 m in height and is seated with legs pendent on a diamond throne. He has a broad forehead, delicate features, and a large usnisa. The eyes gaze downward, the hands form the Dharmacakra (Dharma wheel) mudra, and the feet rest upon a lotus pedestal. The Buddha has broad shoulders and a strong build, and is backed by a large mandorla decorated with images of heavenly beings and a Bodhi tree. Two lions are carved on the front of the throne.
The two attendant Bodhisattvas are much smaller than the Buddha. They stand in tribhanga posture and wear tall headdresses. The left attendant, Avalokitesvara, grasps the long stem of a lotus that rises from the ground and extends up to the Bodhisattva’s shoulder. A large stupa stands behind the triad. The presentation of this stupa and the Buddha triad together continues a pattern of combining figures and stupas seen first at Ajanta.