Bagan: Life of the Buddha - Return from Trayastrimsa Heaven

MYANMAR, Mandalay, Bagan; Bagan Empire

This sculpture was created during the Bagan Empire (circa 849–1287) and depicts the Buddha on his return from teaching the Dharma to his mother, Queen Maya, in the Trayastrimsa Heaven, a theme commonly seen in the art of the southern Buddhist tradition.
The Buddha stands in the tribhanga posture on a lotus pedestal. A grid-like pattern behind his left shoulder represents the stairs from which he descended from the Heaven. According to the story, there were three flights of stairs made from gold, silver, and crystal that were manifested by Sakra, who stands on the Buddha’s right. Sakra wears a high pointed headdress and holds an alms bowl. The figure on the Buddha’s left is Brahma. He carries a parasol and has three heads; each head wears a tall stupa-shaped headdress. A figure thought to be the donor kneels in front of Sakra with palms joined in reverence. The vast difference in height between the main figure and the attendants is known to be a characteristic from the Pala period (circa 8th–12th century).