Sikri: Life of the Buddha - Four Heavenly Kings Offering Bowls

PAKISTAN, Balochistan, Sikri; Kushan period

After the Buddha attained enlightenment and was meditating under a tree, passing merchants offered him honeyed wheat porridge according to the Abhiniskramana Sutra. The Four Heavenly Kings each brought the Buddha an alms bowl upon realizing he could not receive the porridge without one. The Buddha sits under the Bodhi tree in the panel with the right hand in abhaya (fearlessness) mudra. The Heavenly Kings stand on either side, dressed as Indian nobles, each with a bowl. Four heavenly beings are located above them. Two scatter flowers on one side, while the other two have their palms joined in reverence on the other side.