Buddhaisawan Chapel: Life of the Buddha - Return from Trayastrimsa Heaven

THAILAND, Bangkok; Bangkok period

This image is part of a set of murals painted in the Buddhaisawan Chapel that portray significant events from the Life of the Buddha. The Buddha wears a dark brown monastic robe and has a petal-shaped nimbus with flame patterns on the sides. He stands on a lotus and slowly descends from Trayastrimsa Heaven on a triple staircase of gold, silver, and crystal. Four-Headed, Four-Armed Brahma holds a canopy over the Buddha’s head. Sakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and an apsara playing a stringed instrument are also shown accompanying the Buddha. In the human realm below, devotees welcome the Buddha with music.
The simple robe worn by the Buddha contrasts starkly with the ornate crowns and ornaments worn by the heavenly beings. The three golden nagas’ heads at the bottom of the stairs are similar to the nagas decorating the handrails of staircases in Thai Buddhist temples.