Life of the Buddha - Defeat of Mara and Enlightenment

MYANMAR

Brought to England by Henry Burney in 1837, this illustration is part of a Burmese album of paintings made up of 52 folded pages. The paintings in the album are similar to the Jataka illustrations that were popular in Burma during the 19th century.
The gold-skinned Buddha, clad in a monastic robe and with his hands resting on his knees, sits in full lotus position on a diamond throne. His mandorla is bordered with a geometric flame pattern. Trees rise behind the mandorla and flowers fall from the sky in the background. On the left side of the painting, Mara’s army charges towards the Buddha. An elephant holds a sword in its trunk, and bare chested figures attempt to attack with arrows and other weapons. Below the Buddha, Prthivi, the Earth Goddess, kneels within a niche holding her long braid with both hands. To assist the Buddha, she twists her hair and calls upon the ocean to flood Mara’s army. On the right side of the painting, the army flees in defeat. Some of the figures look back at the Buddha respectfully, while others appear to panic as they are attacked by wild beasts. Rounded waves are painted in the background. The peaceful Buddha contrasts sharply with the frantic appearance of the army.