Borobudur: Life of the Buddha

INDONESIA, Central Java, Magelang

There are 120 reliefs depicting scenes from the Life of the Buddha on the upper section of the inner wall on the first square terrace, as described in the Lalitavistara Sutra. The series begins from the entrance at the stairs on the east side and continues in a clockwise direction. The stories include Queen Maya’s Conception of Siddhartha, Queen Maya Visiting Lumbini, Palace Life, Great Departure, Renunciation, Reflections on the Farming Process, Defeat of Mara and Enlightenment, and the First Turning of the Dharma Wheel.
The relief depicting the Conception shows Prince Siddhartha riding an elephant and entering the womb of Queen Maya, who reclines gracefully with five female attendants behind her. Below her are many more attendants.
The relief of the Great Departure depicts Prince Siddhartha riding his horse, Kanthaka, out of the city. Four heavenly beings support the horse’s hooves to prevent the sound from raising the alarm. The prince is also accompanied by a number of heavenly beings that are there to protect him.
The third scene shows the First Turning of the Dharma Wheel, where the five ascetics ignore the Buddha as he approaches, thinking that he had given up ascetic practice to indulge in secular life. The characters in the relief are portrayed in a realistic and lively manner.